KL Rahul to take a 'break', will skip Vijay Hazare Trophy; no decision on Ranji Trophy yet: Report

KL Rahul will be unavailable for Karnataka for the Vijay Hazare Trophy, following the five-Test series against Australia.

Team India's star batter, KL Rahul, will skip the Vijay Hazare Trophy knock-out rounds, according to a report from PTI. Rahul, who played all five Tests in India's recent Border-Gavaskar series against Australia, will take a break from the game.

India's KL Rahul walks off the field after his dismissal on day one of the fifth cricket Test match between Australia and India in Sydney (AFP)

While Rahul's absence from the Vijay Hazare quarterfinals is confirmed, a decision regarding his availability for the second phase of the Ranji Trophy, which begins on January 23, will be made at a later date. This break comes after a grueling Test series, allowing Rahul to rest and recuperate ahead of a busy schedule in the coming months.

Meanwhile, Karnataka will see the return of two key players for their Vijay Hazare Trophy quarterfinal clash against Baroda on Saturday. Left-handed opener Devdutt Padikkal and pace bowler Prasidh Krishna, both of whom were part of the Test squad in Australia, will feature for the state team in Vadodara.

Padikkal, who played in the first Test at Perth, will look to build on his recent experience in Australia, while Prasidh Krishna, who was part of the XI in the the fifth and final Test, will bolster Karnataka’s pace attack. Both players were in excellent form leading up to the Australia series, making an impression in the domestic circuit.

Karnataka without Vyshak

Despite this setback, Karnataka remains a formidable side, bolstered by the return of Padikkal and Prasidh, and they will be keen to make an impact in the tournament’s crucial knockout stages.

With Rahul's break and Vyshak’s injury, Karnataka will rely on their experienced players like Padikkal and Prasidh to deliver a strong performance in the Vijay Hazare Trophy should Karnataka reach the quarterfinals.