KL Rahul and Prasidh Krishna Join Karnataka Ranji Squad

Star Indian cricketers KL Rahul and Prasidh Krishna will play for Karnataka in their upcoming Ranji Trophy opening match against Andhra.

Match Details

The fixture begins on October 11 at Vijayawada. Rahul is almost certain to take the field as preparation for the upcoming Test tour to New Zealand. This approach mirrors the BCCI recalling all-rounder Washington Sundar from India's T20I squad against the West Indies to play Ranji matches for Tamil Nadu. Prasidh Krishna is also named in the squad, but his participation remains uncertain after a hamstring injury ruled him out of the ongoing ODI series against the Windies.

Team Setup

Karnataka enters the tournament as last season's runners-up under a new coaching staff led by former pacer R Vinay Kumar. A 15-member squad will be led by captain and promising batter Ravichandran Smaran, who takes over the leadership role from Devdutt Padikkal. The team features experienced names like Karun Nair, Mayank Agarwal, and Shreyas Gopal alongside other squad members. Smaran faces the challenge of managing a young bowling attack that misses seasoned players Vysakh Vijaykumar and Vidwath Kaverappa due to injuries. Meanwhile, Samit Dravid, son of former player Rahul Dravid, joins the state squad for the Col CK Nayudu Trophy match against Vidarbha at Alur.

Partnerships And Sponsors

The Karnataka State Cricket Association signed a new partnership with the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation Limited and the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited. The deal was announced at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium during a ceremony that also unveiled the new team jersey for the 2026-27 season.

Context

Domestic tournaments like the Ranji Trophy serve as key preparation grounds for players aiming to break into or maintain their spots in the national Test team. State associations regularly partner with public sector corporations and tourism bodies to secure financial backing for domestic cricket infrastructure.