Rahul, who has played one ODI and six T20Is for India, was initially linked with a move to another team for the ongoing domestic season but will continue to represent Rajasthan. India seamer Deepak Chahar will lead Rajasthan in the 2026-27 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, with left-arm spinner Manav Suthar named vice-captain in the 15-member squad announced by the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA). Rajasthan have been placed in Elite Group A and will play all seven of their league-stage matches in Mumbai, beginning with a clash against Uttar Pradesh on November 14. Apart from Deepak, who has represented India in 13 ODIs and 25 T20Is, his younger brother Rahul Chahar has also been included in the squad.
There is still no place in the squad for left-arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed, who is recovering from hamstring surgery sustained during his stint with Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Other members of the squad include Abhijeet Tomar, Ajay Raj Singh, Kunal Singh Rathore, Honey Pratap Singh and Himanshu Singh Rana. Ramniwas Golada, Rohan Rajbahar, Himanshu Nehra and Abhishek Mund complete the squad.
Khaleel, who has represented India in 11 ODIs and 18 T20Is, was recently traded to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for his existing fee of Rs 4.8 crore. The squad also features experienced left-handed batting all-rounder Mahipal Lomror, along with young wicketkeeper-batters Kartik Sharma and Mukul Choudhary, all of whom were part of IPL 2026. After their opening match against Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan will face Jharkhand on November 16 before taking on Chandigarh on November 18.
