KL Rahul Ruled Out For The Last 2 Tests After Spraining Left Wrist

KL Rahul, who was expected to make a comeback in 3rd Test sprained his left wrist while batting in the nets at the MCG during Indian team’s practice session on Saturday.

The wicketkeeper-batsman won’t be available for the remaining two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy as he will need about three weeks time to recover completely from the injury sustained and regain full strength.

KL Rahul Need Three Weeks Time To Recover Completely: BCCI

After the injury ruled him out, he will now head to visit the National Cricket Academy at Bengaluru for further rehabilitation of his injury. KL Rahul will head home without playing any Test after sustaining a wrist injury.

“He will need about three weeks time to recover completely and regain full strength. He will now return to India and head to the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru for further rehabilitation of his injury,” said a BCCI statement.

The injury also puts KL Rahul in doubt for the four-match home Test series against England, which begins February 5. KL Rahul’s withdrawal due to injury adds to a growing list of absentees due to injuries for India, which lost pace spearhead Mohammed Shami to an arm fracture suffered in 1st Test, Umesh Yadav to a strained calf muscle and is also without the services of regular skipper Virat Kohli and pacer Ishant Sharma.

KL Rahul Was Expected To Make A Comeback In XI Replacing Hanuma Vihari

India was without Rohit Sharma when the team arrived to Australia, but the opener has rejoined the squad after missing first 2 Tests after spending his two-week quarantine and will be available for selection for the third Test in Sydney starting January 7. He went rehabilitation at NCA and passed fitness test after which he headed to Australia.

The series is locked at 1-1 after Australia won by eight wickets in Adelaide where India registered lowest ever Test score of 36 before India bounced back in Melbourne, clinching victory by the same margin inspired by stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane’s ton.

Though Rohit Sharma is all set to play in the third Test in Sydney starting from January 7, KL Rahul’s injury has come as a major blow to the Ajinkya Rahane-led side. He was expected to make a comeback in Test XI for India in all probability, following a string of low scores from Hanuma Vihari who has scored 45 runs in last three innings.

KL Rahul, who last played in Tests in the West Indies tour in August 2019 has amassed 2006 runs in 36 Tests averaging 34.59. He was selected after an excellent performance in IPL 2020 where he was the highest scorer. He, however, failed to average more than 30 in the last 4 Test series.