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Duleep Trophy 2026: The final of the Duleep Trophy 2026 is just hours away. Fans’ expectations have risen for this final match. Reports have been circulating for the past few days that Team India’s star opener KL Rahul, superstar Mohammed Siraj, and emerging batsman Devdutt Padikkal would be playing in the final. However, in the pre-match press conference, captain Tilak Varma clarified that KL Rahul will not be playing in this match.  

Why is KL Rahul not going to play the final?  

Fans wanted to see KL Rahul play in the final of the 2026 Duleep Trophy. Team India’s selectors also wanted to see him play, which is why he was asked to join the team. However, according to Dainik Jagran, Rahul did not want to play in the match. He argued his case to both the selectors and the BCCI, and they convinced him not to play. This is why Rahul is not going to play. 

Team India is now scheduled to play only T20 matches in early September, where Rahul is not part of the team. Therefore, he may be seen playing in the first ODI against the West Indies on September 27th. According to reports, Rahul wants to devote time to his family during this time, allowing him to rest and spend more time with his daughter before embarking on the New Zealand tour. It’s worth noting that Rahul performed well against Sri Lanka. 

New Zealand tour is very important for Rahul 

After the three-match ODI series against the West Indies, Team India will tour New Zealand in October. The team will play five T20Is, five ODIs, and two Test matches. Rahul is part of the ODI and Test squads, and will play seven matches on the New Zealand tour. Rahul will need to perform exceptionally well with the bat on this tour. His performance in the ODI format has also declined recently, which has put pressure on him. 

If the Indian team wants to perform well in the upcoming ICC tournament, Rahul’s run-scoring is crucial. Team India’s recent Test record against New Zealand has been very poor. The Indian team will want to improve on that. In such a situation, the team will need a good start in every innings. For this, captain Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir will be looking to Rahul.