Experienced Indian batter KL Rahul is unlikely to be part of the India squad for the Asia Cup 2023 in Sri Lanka as it will take more time for him to recover from the hamstring injury that he sustained during the IPL 2023 whereas Shreyas Iyer’s participation in the ODI World Cup later this year will lot depend on his fitness in the coming days.
Team India has struggled with a lot of injuries in recent times, as Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, and Prasidh Krishna are still recovering from a major injury ahead of the all-important Asia Cup 2023 and ODI World Cup 2023 and they fitness will be crucial for India’s chances in the mega event later this year.
According to the reports in PTI, KL Rahul, and Shreyas Iyer are unlikely to play in the continental event in Sri Lanka as the conditions would be challenging for the players, and reckons that the Wicket-keeper batter is likely to be part of the three-match series against Australia. Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer participation in the World Cup will be touch and go at this stage.
“It is unlikely that both Rahul and Shreyas would be match fit for 50-over cricket and that too in humid conditions in Sri Lanka. But BCCI medical team feels that Rahul can at least get fit before the three-match series against Australia before the World Cup,” he added.
“In the case of Iyer, he has also started skills training but the World Cup for him will be touch and go if Indian management thinks of putting a 100 percent fit Iyer back on the park. T20 is an easier vehicle for a comeback, unlike 50-over cricket. We are keeping our fingers crossed,” A BCCI official said.
In the ODI format, KL Rahul’s batting has helped the Indian team to play four frontline batters at the top of the orders as he plays the role of the finisher alongside Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja in the lower order down the order. The Karnataka batter has got better experience playing in different positions for the Indian team.
Shreyas Iyer has been a crucial player for India in the 50-over format of the game. In the 42 games so far, he amassed 1631 runs at an average of 46.6 providing stability in the Indian middle order. He has struck two centuries and 14 half-centuries so far in ODI Cricket.
The absence of Iyer and Rahul in the team would give chance to Suryakumar Yadav and Sanju Samson to be part of the Asia Cup 2023 as they will look to prove their case strong for the ODI World Cup later this year.