Virat Kohli, KL Rahul to miss next Ranji Trophy round
What's the story
Indian cricket stars Virat Kohli and KL Rahul have been ruled out of the upcoming Ranji Trophy matches, starting January 23.
The players had informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) medical team about their respective injuries, which will keep them out of this round.
Kohli is suffering from neck pain while Rahul has an elbow issue.
Injury details
Kohli's neck pain sidelines him from Delhi-Saurashtra match
As per ESPNcricinfo, Kohli got an injection for his neck pain on January 8, just three days after the Border-Gavaskar Trophy ended in Sydney.
However, he still continues to feel discomfort. This has resulted in him pulling out of the upcoming Delhi versus Saurashtra match in Rajkot.
Meanwhile, Rahul's elbow problem will rule him out of Karnataka's clash against Punjab in Bengaluru.
Participation guidelines
BCCI's new rules and players' future participation
Recently, the BCCI had issued a set of guidelines for all cricketers, stressing on the importance of playing domestic cricket.
If a player is unable to play, he has to seek the approval of the national chairman of selectors.
Despite their injuries, both Kohli and Rahul may get another opportunity to play in the Ranji Trophy in the final group phase round starting January 30.
Future commitments
Upcoming ODI series and Champions Trophy
The final round of the group phase in the Ranji Trophy ends just ahead of the One Day International (ODI) series against England on February 6.
Both Kohli and Rahul are strong contenders for this series as well as for the Champions Trophy.
The squads for these upcoming tournaments will be announced on Saturday, adding to their future commitments.
Player participation
Test regulars to feature in next Ranji Trophy round
Despite Kohli and Rahul's absence, a number of other high-profile cricketers will be seen in the upcoming Ranji Trophy matches.
The likes of Rishabh Pant (Delhi), Shubman Gill (Punjab), and Ravindra Jadeja (Saurashtra) will be seen in action.
Their presence would certainly add a lot of excitement to the tournament.