KL Rahul 'seeks' break from cricket after Australia series loss

Indian cricketer KL Rahul has decided to take a break from cricket, opting out of the upcoming white-ball series against England.

According to Indian media outlet, Rahul sought a break and will miss the series, but a BCCI source confirmed that he will be available for Champions Trophy 2025 selections.

Rahul’s decision comes after an impressive performance in the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, where he scored 276 runs in 10 innings at an average of 30.67.

He was one of the few Indian batters who was termed technically sound against Australia by former cricketers.

The series against England will start with a five-match T20I series, beginning on January 22 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The three-match ODI leg will follow, starting on February 6 at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur.

On the other side, Mohammed Shami is reportedly eyeing a comeback with the England series. The star pacer has been nursing an ankle injury since the World Cup 2023 final against Australia and has played some domestic games for Bengal recently. However, ankle swelling has prolonged his much-awaited comeback.

It is important to mention here that the Champions Trophy 2025 is set to kick off on 19 February with Pakistan, the host and defending champions, taking on New Zealand in the curtain-raiser in Karachi.