Rahul will travel from Mumbai to London on Monday to link up with his India \u2018A\u2019 teammates. \u201cPlaying in the second India 'A' game will serve as a crucial preparatory match for Rahul ahead of the upcoming five-match Test series against England.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cHis franchise Delhi Capitals not qualifying for IPL 2025 playoffs also meant that free space was created in Rahul\u2019s schedule to go and turn out for India \u2018A\u2019 ahead of an important assignment for the Test team,\u201d said sources aware of the development to IANS on Friday.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
It\u2019s not the first time that Rahul, now the side\u2019s senior most batter with 58 caps, after the retirements of stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, will be turning out for India \u2018A\u2019 ahead of an important overseas Test tour.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Last year, shortly after India lost the third Test to New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai and suffered an unprecedented 3-0 series defeat at home, Rahul and wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel flew to Melbourne to turn out for India \u2018A\u2019 in their red-ball game against Australia \u2018A\u2019 at the MCG ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Though Rahul didn\u2019t make plenty of runs in that game, it gave him crucial time to get used to Australian conditions. That set the stage for Rahul to amass 255 runs in five Tests at an average of 30.66, including hitting two fifties. He looked solid in India\u2019s series opening win in Perth by scoring 26 and 77 runs while sharing a record 201-run stand with Yashasvi Jaiswal in the second innings.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
With Rahul having scored two centuries as an opener on Test tours of England, his experience at the top will be very vital for India to navigate the challenge of facing the moving ball in the initial stage of an innings and then set a total to challenge the ultra-attacking batting style of the Ben Stokes-led side.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
India 'A' is also expected to have new Test skipper Shubman Gill and left-handed batter B Sai Sudharsan join in for the second game, though it also depends on how far Gujarat Titans can go in IPL 2025 playoffs \u2013 especially with them playing the Eliminator against Mumbai Indians in New Chandigarh on Friday evening.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
With Rahul having scored two centuries as an opener on Test tours of England, his experience at the top will be very vital for India to navigate the challenge of facing the moving ball in the initial stage of an innings and then set a total to challenge the ultra-attacking batting style of the Ben Stokes-led side.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Also Read: <\/b> LIVE Cricket Score<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n