KL Rahul sweats out in nets, shares a video
Aug 02, 2023
New Delhi [India], August 2 : Indian opener KL Rahul, who had suffered an injury during the IPL, has started batting and wicketkeeping practice ahead of the peak cricketing season which will see teams contesting for the Asia Cup and ICC Cricket World Cup titles.
Asia Cup will start on August 30 and will be hosted jointly by Pakistan and Sri Lanka, with the majority of matches in the island nation. ICC Cricket World Cup will be hosted by India from October 5.
Rahul, who also captains The Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League (IPL), sustained an injury in the match against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on May 1. Chasing a ball in the outfield in the second over, he clutched it at his thigh and then limped off the field.
Rahul took to Instagram and shared a video of him sweating it out in the nets. The video showed KL Rahul taking some diving, jumping catches and pulling off one-handed catches too. Also, he played some signature drives and cuts.
In the absence of KL, India has been utilising Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan as wicket-keepers. Rahul was the initial main choice in wicketkeeping leading upto the Asia Cup and the World Cup, since Rishabh Pant is also recovering from injuries sustained in a car accident last year.
Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had on July 21 issued an update on recovery of its key players like Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah, Rahul and Shreyas Iyer. Rahul, along with Iyer have resumed batting practice in nets and are also undergoing strength and fitness drills.
"They have resumed batting in the nets and are currently undergoing strength and fitness drills. The BCCI Medical Team is satisfied with their progress and will increase their intensity in terms of both skills and strength and conditioning in the coming days," BCCI had stated about Rahul and Iyer's recovery from their injuries.
Bumrah has been included in a new-look India's T20I team going to Ireland for three match series starting from August 18 onwards and will be leading the side.
Pant has also made significant progress in his rehabilitation and has commenced batting as well as keeping in the nets. He is currently following a fitness programme designed for him which includes strength, flexibility and running, the statement had said.
Rahul's absence has left a big void in the middle order, where Rahul boasts of some really solid numbers. Following Pant's accident and some disappointing performances at the top of the order, Rahul was being used as a number-five batter. In 18 ODIs he has played as a number five batter, he has scored 742 runs at an average of 53.00 and a strike rate of 99.33. He has one century and seven half-centuries in this position, with the best score of 112.
This year Rahul has featured in two Tests, scoring 38 runs in three innings with the best score of 20. He has had a better record in ODIs this year, scoring 226 runs in six innings at an average of 56.50, with two half-centuries and best score of 75*.
Last year was a mixed bag for Rahul in international cricket. In 30 matches last year, he scored 822 runs at an average of 25.68, with nine half-centuries in 33 innings and best score of 73 runs. In four Tests, he scored 137 runs in eight innings, averaging just 17.12 with one fifty. In 10 ODIs, he scored 251 runs at an average of 27.88 with two fifties in nine innings. In 16 T20Is and 16 innings, he scored 434 runs at an average of 28.93 and a strike rate of over 126 with six fifties.
