Ahead of the fifth and final Test against England, the BCCI selection committee and the Indian team management led by captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid are in a fix about a couple of players, reported Hindustan Times.
According to various reports, India’s key wicketkeeper batter KL Rahul has flown to London to consult a specialist after he continued feeling discomfort in his right quadriceps. The injury kept him out of the last three Tests against England.
Reports say that Rahul — who was ‘90% fit’ according to a BCCI press release before the third Test — may be part of the Indian squad. However, if Rahul doesn’t regain his full fitness by then, the selectors may have to continue with Rajat Patidar in the squad.
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A Times of India report claimed that the selectors want to release Patidar from the India Test squad, so that he may play the Ranji Trophy semi-final for Madhya Pradesh against Vidarbha on March 2.
In the ongoing Test series against England, Rajat Patidar, in his six innings, has been unable to utilize the chances. His highest score is 32 and he has already registered two ducks.
“Ideally, the team management would want to see Patidar go back to play the Ranji semifinal and find some form. But that depends on Rahul’s availability. If Rahul is unavailable, he may be asked to stay with the team. Even if Devdutt Padikkal makes his debut in the last Test, the team management needs an extra batter in the team as a concussion substitute,” a source was quoted as saying by The Times of India.
KL Rahul’s fitness:
Meanwhile, KL Rahul’s fitness is a major concern for the Indian selectors. Though the NCA medical team reportedly has not found anything worrisome, the right-hander is still complaining of pain and discomfort. So the BCCI decided to send him to London, where the specialist who operated on the cricketer can have a closer look at the problem.
“The medical team thought Rahul was good to go for the last three Tests. But he complained of discomfort. He is a bit concerned about it. He has endured a heavy workload while keeping wickets in the World Cup and the Test series in South Africa. Multiple scans have been done on his quads. While there is nothing very concerning, some inflammation has been noted. The reports were sent to the doctor who treated him in England. Eventually, the doctor asked him to travel to England so that he could personally check what’s wrong with Rahul,” a source added.
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Published: 28 Feb 2024, 02:37 PM IST