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Varun Aaron has officially announced his retirement from all forms of cricket as of January 10, 2025. This decision follows his earlier retirement from first-class cricket in February 2024, marking the end of his professional cricketing journey. Aaron's exit from the game means he will not participate in any upcoming events, including the IPL 2025, closing a chapter on his career.

In a separate development, Team India wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul is likely to take an extended break following the Border-Gavaskar series. The selectors are contemplating resting him for the upcoming three-match ODI series against England, which serves as the only preparation before the 2025 Champions Trophy. Rahul has been assured of his place in the Champions Trophy, but the decision to rest him from the England series raises questions about the team's preparation.

Since September, Rahul has been heavily involved in Team India's longer format fixtures, participating in an unofficial Test against Australia 'A' and all five Tests in the top order. The demanding nature of these matches, coupled with the pressure of international cricket, necessitates a period of downtime for players. However, resting Rahul from the England ODIs means his first match after this break will be against Bangladesh in the Champions Trophy group stage, which poses a risk given his previous performance history.

With only three ODIs available to finalize their strategy ahead of the Champions Trophy, Rahul's absence complicates Team India's preparations, particularly concerning the opening combination, player form, and the overall composition of the bowling unit.

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