New Delhi: Senior Indian batsman KL Rahul is unlikely to feature in the fifth and final Test against England in Dharamsala as he continues to feel pain in his right quadriceps.
Rahul missed matches after the series opener in Hyderabad in January, but the Board of Control for Cricket in India said he was 90 per cent fit by the time of the third Test in Rajkot earlier this month. It is said that there was
Rahul is currently in London to get an expert opinion on his injury and with the series decided, the Indian team management will not take the risk of playing him in the Dharamsala Test starting March 7. I don't plan on it.
He needs to be fully fit before the IPL, when he leads Lucknow Super Giants, and will bat in the middle order to improve his chances of being selected in India's squad for the T20 World Cup to be held in the American Caribbean. is expected.
“It's more important to get an expert opinion (travel to London). He's experiencing a bit of pain (in his right quadriceps) while batting. He's a player the team needs in the long term. As a player, this is to ensure a full recovery.”
“There's so much competition coming up for him – the IPL, he could even be in the T20 World Cup mix. Then there's the important Test series against New Zealand and Australia later this year. .So it would be better to give him time to recover properly rather than rushing him,'' said an IPL source.
This was the same quadriceps injury that kept Rahul sidelined for almost four months last year.
Rahul, who was injured during the IPL, made his comeback at the Asia Cup in September and immediately made an impact. In the recent Test tour to South Africa, Rahul was the only centurion from India in the drawn series.
His absence from the final Test means that Rajat Patidar will remain in the team, but the MP batsman is unsure of his place in the playing eleven having scored just 63 runs in six innings.
There is also a possibility that Patidar will replace Devdutt Padikkal.
India's top pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who was rested for the Ranchi Test, is expected to lead the attack at the HPCA Stadium. Although the series is sealed, every Test match will yield crucial World Test Championship points and Bumrah can play a big role in the cool climate of Dharamshala.
India is in second place with five wins, two losses and one draw. New Zealand lead the table with a winning percentage of 75, but she has only played four Tests.
