Indian wicketkeeper-batsman KL Rahul will unfortunately miss the opening matches of the Asia Cup 2023, as confirmed by the team’s coach, Rahul Dravid. India’s campaign in the tournament will kick off against arch-rivals Pakistan on September 2, followed by a clash with Nepal on September 4.
Providing an update on Rahul’s condition, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) shared a tweet stating that although his recovery is progressing well, he won’t be available for the matches against Pakistan and Nepal. This information was based on Dravid’s remarks.
After completing a training camp at Bengaluru, Alur Dravid further explained Rahul’s situation. He mentioned that the National Cricket Academy (NCA) will oversee his recovery in the coming days. The plan is to assess his status on September 4. While initial signs look positive, he won’t be able to play in the two games. However, if India advances to the Super 4 phase, there is a possibility that Rahul might rejoin the team. In his absence, Ishan Kishan is expected to take up the role of wicketkeeper-batsman against Pakistan and Nepal.
Given KL Rahul’s health concerns, there has been discussion regarding his participation in these initial matches. The chief selector of BCCI, Ajit Agarkar, had mentioned an issue before regarding Rahul’s thigh injury, which had kept him out for a while.
Even though Rahul attended the six-day training camp with the Asia Cup team, he decided not to take part in the yo-yo fitness test. He had suffered an injury during an IPL match, which required surgery in London and kept him off the field.