KL Rahul Ruled OUT of IND vs ENG 3rd Test, THIS Youngster Replaces Him

IND vs ENG 3rd Test: KL Rahul, the seasoned Indian batsman, has been sidelined for the upcoming third Test against England due to an incomplete quadriceps strain recovery. The BCCI released a media advisory regarding this update.

When the senior selection committee announced the squad for the last three Test matches, they included KL Rahul with a caveat. The BCCI statement on Saturday indicated that the participation of both Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul is contingent on receiving fitness clearance from the BCCI medical team.

"KL Rahul hasn't yet reported in Rajkot. Ravindra Jadeja, the local boy has linked up with the team. It was always a case of subject to fitness and the BCCI medical team is still not confident that he is match fit," a senior BCCI source told PTI on the condition of anonymity.

BCCI on KL Rahul

In the official release, BCCI wrote "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 percent of match fitness and is progressing well under the supervision of the BCCI Medical Team."

"The Men?s Selection Committee named Devdutt Padikkal as KL Rahul?s replacement for the third Test, starting February 15, 2024."

The void left by Rahul's absence is filled by Devdutt Padikkal, an emerging left-handed batsman from Karnataka who has been showcasing an impressive performance in the current first-class season.

Reports suggest that Padikkal's inclusion comes on the heels of his outstanding display in the Ranji Trophy, where he scored 151 in the most recent match, catching the attention of chief selector Ajit Agarkar, who observed the innings from the stands.

Throughout the season, Padikkal has maintained exceptional form, starting with a score of 193 against Punjab in the opening game and following it up with a century against Goa. Additionally, he contributed scores of 105, 65, and 21 in his three innings for India A during the two unofficial Tests against England Lions.

Rahul's absence from the second Test at Vizag was a result of complaints about right quadriceps pain during the preceding Hyderabad Test. Currently stationed at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), he has not undertaken the journey to Rajkot. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Indian team management express optimism regarding Rahul's fitness for the fourth Test.

The prolonged hiatus of the 31-year-old batsman raises a question on the transparency of the injury status of senior Indian players by both the players themselves and the medical team affiliated with the BCCI.

"If the BCCI's medical team knew in the first place that Rahul's quad injury is as serious as it looks, why in the first place was he kept in the provisional squad? And why is the player sending wrong signals by posting videos of his batting on Instagram stories," a senior BCCI official asked.

India's Squad For 3rd 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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Source- BCCI