Ranji Trophy: Kohli not to play, KL Rahul's participation also in doubt

New Delhi: Star Indian batter Virat Kohli has been officially ruled out of the upcoming Ranji Trophy matches starting January 23 due to a neck sprain. 

Sources reveal that Kohli has been dealing with this injury, even requiring injections for treatment, which casts doubts on his immediate participation.

Meanwhile, uncertainty surrounds KL Rahul's involvement in the tournament. Reports suggest that Rahul is dealing with elbow issues, which might sideline him for the next round of matches. 

Delhi's next match in the Ranji Trophy is against Saurashtra, while Karnataka is set to play Punjab.

Cracking the whip on the Indian cricket team's "star culture", the BCCI on Thursday unveiled a 10-point policy to promote "discipline and unity", making domestic cricket mandatory, among other restrictions.

The Board said it is mandatory for players to remain available for domestic matches.

"This policy ensures that players remain connected to the domestic cricket ecosystem, fostering talent development, maintaining match fitness, and strengthening the overall domestic structure," the BCCI stated Any exceptions to this mandate will require formal notification and approval from Agarkar.

The reason behind this instruction is the absence of stars from the Ranji ciruit. Virat Kohli hasn't played a Ranji Trophy match since 2012, that was one year before Sachin Tendulkar played his last Ranji match in 2013.

Embattled skipper Rohit Sharma last played Ranji in 2015.