India batter-keeper KL Rahul is likely to be rested for the upcoming eight-match white-ball series against England at home. The series will consist of three ODIs and five T20Is, with the first T20I taking place in Kolkata on January 22.

But the BCCI selectors have assured Rahul, who plays in the middle order and keeps wickets in the ODIs, that he will be selected for the Champions Trophy in February.

“Rahul has been assured of his spot in the Champions Trophy. Hence, he will be rested from the England series,” a source told Times of India.

Rahul has been India's top "keeper-batter" in the ODIs, where he has routinely scored runs in the middle order, despite not playing for the country in the T20Is lately.

Rahul had chosen not to play for Karnataka in the Vijay Hazare Trophy knockouts, which started on Thursday in Vadodara, after returning from Australia, where he played in all five Test matches in a demanding Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.

KL Rahul had a decent series in Australia, playing all 5 Tests and 10 innings, and scored 276 runs with 2 fifties. His highest score was 84 and he averaged 30.66.