Aoba Tanaka 
In a setback for the Indian cricket team, KL Rahul has been officially ruled out of the upcoming fourth Test against England in Ranchi. The middle-order batsman failed to fully recover from a quadriceps injury that sidelined him for the second and third Tests after featuring in the series opener in Hyderabad.
While Rahul demonstrated promising form in the opening Test with scores of 86 and 22, his injury woes resurfaced, preventing his participation in subsequent matches. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had initially reported on February 12 that Rahul had reached 90% match fitness and was progressing well at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. However, the latest update confirms his unavailability for the Ranchi Test, and his participation in the final Test in Dharamsala remains contingent on fitness.
Fellow Karnataka batter Devdutt Padikkal, who earned his maiden Test call-up due to impressive performances in first-class cricket, retains his place in the squad. The 31-year-old Rahul has faced persistent fitness challenges over the last 10 months, including a thigh surgery during IPL 2023 that kept him sidelined for a significant duration.
Jasprit Bumrah, India’s pace spearhead and the leading wicket-taker in the series with 17 scalps, will also be absent from the Ranchi Test. The decision to rest Bumrah is part of the team management’s strategy for workload management, considering the upcoming IPL and the T20 World Cup. Bumrah’s absence opens the door for Mukesh Kumar to rejoin the squad after being released for the third Test.
Mukesh Kumar, fresh from a stellar performance in the Ranji Trophy where he claimed a career-best match haul of 10 for 50 for Bengal against Bihar, returns to bolster the Indian pace attack. Uncapped seamer Akash Deep from the same state completes the seam bowling options for India in Bumrah’s absence.
As India navigates the challenges posed by injuries to key players, the focus now shifts to the remaining Test matches against England, with the fourth Test set to commence in Ranchi.
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