Pallekele (Sri Lanka) (PTI): Wicketkeeper batter KL Rahul, whose fitness is under the scanner, was on Tuesday named in India's 15-member World Cup squad as the selectors drafted in seven batters and four all-rounders for the tournament.

Rahul has been out of action for months due to a hamstring injury. He is part of the ongoing Asia Cup but is yet to feature in a match. His comeback was delayed due to a niggle he suffered ahead of Asia Cup.

"There were a couple of fitness issues we had but all three players have come back, KL is looking good. We feel this squad gives us the best balance for this World Cup," chief selector Ajit Agarkar said.

"KL looked really good there but picked up a niggle just before the Asia Cup. He has gotten over it. He is an important player for us and we are happy to have him."

Hardik Pandya was named the vice captain of the Indian squad.

Pacer Prasidh Krishna and left-handed rookie Tilak Varma, who are part of the Asia Cup squad, could not make the cut.

The marquee ICC tournament will begin on October 5 with a clash between England and New Zealand in Ahmedabad.

India play their first match against Australia on October 8 in Chennai.

Squad:

Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya (Vice-captain), Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj and Kuldeep Yadav.

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This year, Ramadan and Lent are reportedly being observed during the same period, a calendar overlap that happens only once in roughly 30 to 33 years.

According to a post by ‘That Dubai Page’ on Instagram both are important periods of fasting in Islam and Christianity respectively, but they follow different calendars, which is why their dates usually do not align.

What is Lent?

Lent is a 40-day period in the Christian liturgical calendar observed before Easter.

It is marked by fasting, prayer, repentance and self-examination.

The duration of 40 days reflects the time Jesus is believed to have fasted in the wilderness. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends before Easter Sunday, and the feast mass is celebrated on Saturday.

The exact dates change every year because they are linked to Easter, which is calculated based on the Christian liturgical calendar.

What is Ramadan?

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar and is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer and spiritual discipline. From dawn to sunset each day, adult and able-bodied Muslims abstain from food and drink. The fast is broken at sunset.

Unlike Lent, Ramadan does not follow the Gregorian calendar.

According to admiddleeast.com , Ramadan depends on the sighting of the new crescent moon, known as the hilāl, which signals the start of the new lunar month.

Religious committees in many Muslim-majority countries meet after sunset on the 29th day of the preceding month, Sha‘ban, to look for the moon.

If it is sighted, Ramadan begins the next day. If not, Sha‘ban is completed as a 30-day month and Ramadan starts after that.

While Saudi Arabias announcement is widely followed, each country makes its own official declaration.

Why dont they always overlap?

The Islamic lunar calendar has around 354 days, which is about 10 to 11 days shorter than the Gregorian calendar.

Because of this difference, Ramadan shifts earlier by about 10 or 11 days each year. Over time, it moves through all seasons.

Lent, on the other hand, is tied to Easter and the Christian liturgical calendar. Since the two religious observances are based on different systems for calculating dates, they rarely fall at the same time.

How often does the overlap happen?

The overlap happens in cycles of approximately 30 to 33 years. When it happens, Ramadan and Lent may coincide for a few consecutive years. After that, they do not align again for decades.

Following the current cycle, major overlaps are not expected again until the 2050s.