Team Karnataka has made a shock decision of including Indian batter KL Rahul in their probables for the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy, scheduled to run from December 21 to January 18.

Currently representing India in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Rahul is showcasing his skills in Australia. Renowned for his prowess in the middle order, he has been tasked with opening the innings in the ongoing five-match series.

But the big question is why Rahul has been included in the Vijay Hazare squad, knowing that he will be busy with BGT till January 2025?

KL Rahul's Questionable Inclusion

It is highly improbable that KL Rahul will leave the Border-Gavaskar series to participate in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. His inclusion in Karnataka's squad seems to be a contingency plan, with a slim chance of him playing should the team progress to the knockout stage, scheduled from January 9 to 18.

However, the likelihood remains minimal as the Champions Trophy is on the horizon, and India will likely prioritize providing their key players with adequate rest ahead of the major tournament. The cooling period for the players will start after the BGT ends.

India's decision to open with KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal paid off brilliantly in the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Perth. The pair stitched together a remarkable 201-run partnership for the first wicket in the second innings, setting the stage for an emphatic 295-run victory.

However, the duo couldn't replicate their success in the Adelaide Test, where India suffered a heavy 10-wicket defeat on the hands of the hosts.

Karnataka Probable Squad For Vijay Hazare Trophy: K.L. Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Prasidh Krishna, Devdutt Padikkal, L.R. Chethan, Macneil Noronha, Shreyas Gopal, K.L. Shrijith, Abhinav Manohar, Manoj Bhandage, Hardik Raj, V. Koushik, Vidyadhar Patil, Shubhang Hegde, Abhilash Shetty, Mohsin Khan, R. Smaran, Luvnith Sisodia, V. Vyshak, Manvanth Kumar, Yashovardhan Parantap, Pravin Dubey, M. Venkatesh, Nikin Jose, K.V. Aneesh, K. Shashikumar, Paras Gurbax Arya, Shikhar Shetty, Kishan Bedare, Harshil Dharmani, Vidwath Kaverappa, Kruthik Krishna.