Rahul had not yet joined his IPL franchise Delhi Capitals for the impending birth of his child.
Former Australia captain Michael Clarke believes India is in "safe hands" and has "enough talent" to trounce England, but it will all come down to how the young-looking squad will leave a mark in the series on a territory known for being "tough".
Earlier, Tanush Kotian (90 not out) and Anshul Kamboj (51 not out) brought up their respective half-centuries to take India A to 417 for 7 at tea on the fourth day of their second unofficial Test in Northampton on Monday.
Shaken by the abrupt suspension of their previous match due to the India-Pakistan conflict, a struggling Delhi Capitals will look to regroup and address bowling concerns when they face table-toppers Gujarat Titans in a reverse-leg IPL clash in Delhi on Sunday to keep their play-off hopes alive.
Axar Patel's inclusive captaincy style has played a massive role in Delhi Capitals blazing start to this IPL season, reckons the team's assistant coach Matthew Mott.
But Rohit's deplorable form in red-ball in red-ball cricket may have forced this decision.
The Delhi Capitals will be looking to improve their batting performance in the middle overs when they face a struggling Kolkata Knight Riders in their Indian Premier League match on Tuesday.
KL Rahul topples David Warner's record, fastest batter to score 5000 IPL runs
'We won't miss Virat and Rohit. I have faith in our young team.'
Rohit Sharma on Monday thanked his long-time friend Abhishek Nayar, days after the latter was sacked as Indian team's assistant coach by the BCCI.
Kohli walked up to Rahul and cheekily recreated Rahul's famous celebration - pointing to the ground and thumping his chest.
Both DC and LSG have 10 points and a win will keep them safely perched in the higher echelons of the points table ahead of the jostlers.
DC skipper Axar Patel said four wins in four matches had given the team a huge boost in morale.
Rahul bemoans batting failures in ODI loss to South Africa
From Joe Root vs Jasprit Bumrah's high-stakes chess match to the all-round brilliance of Ben Stokes vs Ravindra Jadeja, and from emerging face-offs like Shubman Gill vs Shoaib Bashir to K L Rahul's test against Chris Woakes, each duel carries weight far beyond statistics.
While the cricket fraternity is taken aback by talismanic Virat Kohli's wish to retire from Test cricket, it has been learnt that selection committee did ponder over the idea of handing over leadership to him in England to allow Gill some more time to groom.
Starc was at his lethal best in the Super Over, restricting RR to just 11/2 with a masterclass in death bowling.
There were moments in past tournaments where we weren't able to finish games or capitalise on crucial situations. But this time, we learned from those experiences,
It was a memorable night for the number 6 batter who hit 4 off 33 balls and watched from the other end as Ravindra Jadeja hit the winning runs.
'I've worked really hard on my white-ball game the last year or so. (A) big shout out to Abhishek Nayar. We've spent hours together talking about my white-ball game and how I can be better.'
'We were lacking in assessing the conditions and the situation'
LSG skipper KL Rahul said Mayank had complained of slight pain in his sides.
Lucknow Super Giants skipper KL Rahul is all set to play for his franchise from the opening IPL game after getting all clear from the National Cricket Academy but he has been advised against wicket-keeping in the first few games.
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji check out who could be the Most Valuable Player of IPL 2025 before the final.
India won't give into the temptation of tinkering with the Playing XI, feels opening batter KL Rahul.
IMAGES from the IPL match between Gujarat Titans and Delhi Capitals in Ahmedabad on Saturday
IMAGES from the Indian Premier League match played between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Capitals in Hyderabad, on Monday.
The Internet is ablaze with adoration for Athiya Shetty and K L Rahul as they share intimate glimpses into their journey towards parenthood.
The duo tied the knot among close family and friends, at Athiya's actor father Suniel Shetty's farmhouse in Khandala.
But the hosts will be a confident group as star batter Virat Kohli made a return to run-making ways after an all too brief blip.
'Just backed my execution, running with a clear plan. Sometimes it comes off, a bit of luck goes a long way.'
Matthew Hayden shared a behind-the-scenes insight into Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting's excitement about young opener Prabhsimran Singh
Kotak highlighted the flexibility of Rahul, who came almost an hour early to the scheduled net session.
KL Rahul is optimistic about India's chances in the upcoming World Cup
KL Rahul has always been confident about keeping wickets in Tests
With Rahul and wife Athiya Shetty expecting their first baby, the senior player could miss a game or two depending on the due date.
'Those who are very good at playing along the ground are also very good at playing in the air in same direction.'
KL Rahul got instant success as captain of Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL and he put it mainly down to trusting his instincts, something he didn't do enough in his initial days as a leader.
Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar believes Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who have struggled in recent Test matches, will find their form in the upcoming ODI series against England and the Champions Trophy.
The upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) match between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Delhi Capitals (DC) in Chennai promises a captivating battle between wrist spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Noor Ahmad. Both bowlers are known for their artistry and ability to control the middle overs.
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