KL Rahul, the Indian cricketer, and the BCCI’s medical team are being closely examined ahead of the third Test against England. Reports from PTI suggest that the BCCI is dissatisfied with the inaccurate information circulating about Rahul’s injury status. There seems to be concern surrounding the clarity and accuracy of updates regarding Rahul’s fitness, prompting the BCCI to take notice and potentially take action to address the issue.
KL Rahul, BCCI Under Scrutiny For Misleading Injury Updates
KL Rahul experienced quadriceps pain after the first Test against England in Hyderabad, causing him to miss the second Test due to injury. Although he was included in the Indian squad for the last three games, his fitness remained uncertain. However, Rahul posted a video on Instagram showing him batting comfortably without any signs of discomfort, sparking hope among fans that he might play in the third match.
On Monday, February 12th, KL Rahul was officially ruled out of the upcoming game as he requires additional time for recovery. Amidst the ongoing discussions surrounding KL Rahul’s fitness, a senior BCCI official has expressed frustration towards both the player and the board’s medical team.
KL Rahul is ready to rock once again. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/KQ5VxiKXum
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) February 11, 2024
A senior BCCI official questioned why the medical team allowed KL Rahul to be part of the squad if they knew about his serious quad injury. The official also criticized Rahul for posting videos, suggesting that it sent the wrong message. Speaking to PTI, the BCCI official revealed:
“If the BCCI’s medical team knew in first place that Rahul’s quad injury is as serious as it looks, why in the first place was he kept in provisional squad. And why is the player sending wrong signals by posting videos of his batting on Instagram stories.”
According to a report in the Indian Express, with KL Rahul unable to play in the Test match in Rajkot, Sarfaraz Khan is expected to make his debut. He was named as Rahul’s replacement after he was ruled out of the second Test in Visakhapatnam.
Sarfaraz Khan’s inclusion comes after impressive performances in domestic cricket, including a recent century against England Lions. He has been one of the most consistent performers in the domestic circuit.
The BCCI has confirmed that KL Rahul has reached 90% fitness and will now be under the supervision of their medical team at the National Cricket Academy (NCA). The BCCI report read:
“KL Rahul, whose availability for the remaining three Tests was subject to fitness, has been ruled out of the third Test against England in Rajkot. Mr. Rahul has reached 90 per cent of match fitness and is progressing well under the supervision of the BCCI Medical Team.”
He added: “He will continue his recovery process at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru to be completely match-fit for the fourth and fifth Test. The Men’s Selection Committee named Devdutt Padikkal as KL Rahul’s replacement for the third Test, starting February 15, 2024.”
India’s updated Squad for the third Test:
Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (WK), KS Bharat (WK), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja*, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep, Devdutt Padikkal.
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