KL Rahul's Availability For IND vs ENG 5th Test 2024 Doubtful As Injured Indian Cricketer Sent to London For Reassessment: Report
KL was injured after the first Test and it seemed like he will be fit for the third Test but the injury escalated and KL missed both the third Test at Rajkot and fourth Test at Ranchi. Now report suggest that he is uncertain for the final Test match at Dharamsala too.
India has sealed victory in the five-match Test series against England by a margin of 3-1 after winning the fourth Test at Ranchi. The series has been a challenging one for India as they lost multiple star cricketers due to injuries or personal problems and yet they could shine as they showed character till the very end and bagged a memorable victory. Yet, injury problems keep troubling them as there is still no clear timeline of KL Rahul's return from injury. KL was injured after the first Test, and it seemed like he will be fit for the third Test, but the injury escalated, and KL missed both the third Test at Rajkot and fourth Test at Ranchi. Now report suggest that he is uncertain for the final Test match at Dharamsala too. Shreyas Iyer Makes Himself Available For Ranji Trophy 2023-24 Semifinals, Named In Mumbai's Squad Against Tamil Nadu.
According to Cricbuzz, it has been reliably learned that Rahul, who was deemed 90 percent fit for the third Test in Rajkot in mid-February, has not fully recovered, prompting the BCCI and the National Cricket Academy (NCA) managers to reassess his situation. He has been sent overseas for an expert opinion and has been undergoing treatment for close to a week since. It cannot be confirmed but he might be consulting a specialist in London.
Rahul's issue stems from pain in his right quadriceps, for which he underwent surgery last year. It is understood that there is still some stiffness and given his importance to the side and the dual roles he fulfills for the team, the BCCI, selectors, and team management are reluctant to take any risks with him. The availability of Rahul for the Dharamsala game remains unclear, and any decision regarding his selection may also be influenced by the fact that India have already clinched the series against England 3-1. At the time of filing of this report, BCCI sources could not confirm Rahul's return date, possibly from London. Rishabh Pant Prepares For Upcoming IPL 2024, Shares Clips of Training In NCA (Watch Video).
Rahul underwent the quadriceps surgery after getting injured in the IPL and started his rehab eyeing to be available for the Asia Cup and the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. He was in good form throughout the tournaments and showed spark in his return to Test cricket by scoring a century in South Africa. He remains an important part of BCCI's plan for the Test series in Australia later in 2024 subject to his fitness situation and availability.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 28, 2024 04:32 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).