Karnataka have made some big changes to their squad for the upcoming Ranji Trophy clash against Punjab. Devdutt Padikkal has been named as Karnataka's captain, replacing Mayank Agarwal while KL Rahul has also made a return to the squad. Karnatka will be taking on Punjab in Mohali from February 1.
Padikkal had showcased incredible form in the recently-concluded Vijay Hazare Trophy, scoring a total of 725 runs from just nine innings as Karnataka made it all the way to the semi-finals. The left-hand batter finished as the tournament's second-highest run-getter, registering two half-centuries and four centuries.
Major boost for Karnataka
Karnataka have received a major boost in the batting department as KL Rahul has made his return to the squad. However, there have also been significant omissions from the team, including Abhinav Manohar who has been dropped. Karun Nair has been ruled out of the clash against Punjab due to injury. He is currently undergoing the rehabilitation process and thus will not be available for the upcoming match.
The team has also been strengthened massively in the bowling department as Prasidh Krishna has been included in the squad as well. The likes of Vidwath Kaverappa, Mohsin Khan, Shreyas Gopal, Vidyadhar Patil, Dhruv Prabhakar and Shikhar Shetty have also been included as the other bowling options for the team.
Karnataka looking to improve
Meanwhile, Karnataka will be desperate for a win in the upcoming match against Punjab as they had suffered a 217-run defeat to Madhya Pradesh in their previous clash. They currently stand third on Elite Group B with 21 points from six matches. They are behind both Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh on the standings. The upcoming round of the Ranji Trophy will be the final round before the tournament moves into the knockout stages. The quarter-final round will commence from February 6.
Karnataka's squad for Punjab clash: Mayank Agarwal, KL Rahul, Aneesh KV, Devdutt Padikkal (Captain), Smaran R, Shreyas Gopal, Kruthik Krishna (WK), Venkatesh M, Vidyadhar Patil, Vidwath Kaverappa, Prasidh M Krishna, Mohsin Khan, Shikhar Shetty, Shrijith KL (WK), and Dhruv Prabhakar.