KL Rahul's red-ball return in focus in final unofficial Test vs England Lions
KL Rahul will mark his return to red-ball cricket for the first time in several months when India A take on the England Lions in the second and final unofficial Test, starting Friday in Northampton.Rahul couldn't quite steer his Indian Premier League (IPL) side, Delhi Capitals, into the playoffs this season. DC finished a narrow fifth — just one spot adrift of the knockouts — leaving players and fans alike to reflect on the many 'what-if' moments that shaped their campaign.advertisementHaving scored 539 runs in 13 IPL innings, Rahul has now shifted his focus to red-ball cricket ahead of the five-match Test series in England. The Indian batter had reportedly informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) of his availability for the India A tour, expressing his desire to feature in the second unofficial Test against the England Lions.
The experienced batter missed the first four-day game in Canterbury on May 30, where Indian batters took advantage of an easy pitch. But the 32-year-old was eager to play in the second match in Northampton.With the senior India squad set to depart for England later this week, Rahul's early arrival and involvement with the A side underlines his intent to gain valuable red-ball game time ahead of the Test series starting on 20 June.advertisementRahul, who last played a red-ball match in January during the Australia tour, now has a chance to find his form again against strong opposition in England — a place where he has scored two Test centuries before. With Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retired, Rahul is the most experienced batter in the squad and will be keen to push for a spot in the top order.Though his Test average stands at a modest 33.57 from 58 matches, much of Rahul's success in the format has come as an opener. Whether he continues at the top or is deployed in the middle order remains to be seen.'I grew up watching Test cricket. I grew up watching you guys play for England. I used to wake up at five in the morning and watch Test cricket in Australia with my father. He loved watching cricket as well,' Rahul said in an earlier interview.Karun Nair, who scored a double century in the first match at Canterbury that ended in a draw, has clearly shown he deserves a spot in the middle order. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Abhimanyu Easwaran scored fluent fifties in the second innings to increase the competition for the top order. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ishan Kishan, who didn't feature in the first game, are also expected to be given a chance to bat in the second fixture.advertisementAmong the bowlers, pacer Akash Deep is expected to play after missing the Canterbury match. Shardul Thakur and Nitish Reddy are competing for the fast bowling all-rounder spot in the Indian Test side. Both played at Canterbury, but Thakur bowled more. Reddy, meanwhile, missed most of the IPL due to fitness issues and bowled less. If the pitch is another flat surface, it may not provide ideal preparation for Rahul and the team ahead of tougher challenges.In the England Lions camp, the spotlight will be on Josh Tongue and Chris Woakes, both of whom have been named in England's squad for the first Test. With frontline quicks Mark Wood and Jofra Archer doubtful and Gus Atkinson ruled out of the series opener, England's fast-bowling resources are under pressure.However, pitch conditions may once again shape the contest. If Northampton serves up a surface as flat as Canterbury's, it may not offer ideal preparation for Rahul and company ahead of what promises to be a far more demanding series.The England series is India's first since the retirements of Rohit Sharma, R Ashwin, and Virat Kohli from Test cricket. The five Tests against England will be India's first in the 2025-27 World Test Championship cycle. They will play the first Test at Headingley (starting June 20), followed by the second at Edgbaston (from July 2), the third at Lord's (from July 10), the fourth at Old Trafford (from July 23), and the final Test at The Oval (from July 31).India will begin the tour with a four-day match against India A at Beckenham, on the outskirts of London, scheduled from June 13 to 16.
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