Rahul in UK as team management awaits report ahead of the last Test
NEW DELHI: The uncertainty over KL Rahul’s availability for the last Test against England has kept the national selectors and Indian team management guessing. TOI has learnt that Rahul has travelled to England to get a clearer picture about his quadriceps injury.
TOI understands that his injury has left the Indian cricket board’s (BCCI) medical team bemused. Rahul has been complaining of discomfort even though the medical team hasn’t been able to find anything majorly wrong with his quads.
Rahul had withdrawn from the ongoing series after India lost the first Test in Hyderabad in the last week of January. The BCCI medical team was confident that he would take the field in the third Test in Rajkot on February 15. But he was pulled out of the team on the eve of the match as the BCCI said ‘he felt only 90% fit’. Rahul missed the subsequent Test as well.
It is learnt that Rahul is a bit unsure about his quads after he underwent a surgery last year.
“The medical team thought Rahul was good to go for the last three Tests. But he complained of discomfort. He is a bit concerned about it. He has endured a heavy workload while keeping wickets in the World Cup and the Test series in South Africa. Multiple scans have been done on his quads. While there is nothing very concerning, some inflammation has been noted. The reports were sent to the doctor who treated him in England. Eventually, the doctor asked him to travel to England so that he could personally check what’s wrong with Rahul,” a BCCI source said.
The board hopes to get some clarity by March 2.
1/10:India's series triumphs after losing the first Test
TNN
2/10:India vs England
<p>India won the five-match Test series 2-1 against England after losing the first Test in Delhi by 6 wickets in December 1972. </p>Getty Images
3/10:Bhagwat Chandrasekhar
<p>Bhagwat Chandrasekhar took 35 wickets in the series as India won the 2nd Test at Eden Gardens by 28 runs and the 3rd Test in Chennai by 4 wickets and drew the next two Tests in Kanpur and Bombay. </p>Getty Images
4/10:Most memorable series
<p>India won the historic and a memorable 3-match Test series 2-1 against Australia after losing the first Test in Mumbai by 10 wickets in February-March 2001. </p>TNN
5/10:Historic hat-trick
<p>In the 2nd Test at Eden Gardens, Harbhajan Singh took the first-ever Test hat-trick by an Indian in the Australian first innings. </p>TNN
6/10:Magic at Eden
<p>VVS Laxman (281) and Rahul Dravid (180) turned the match and the series on it head as India won by 171 runs after being made to follow-on and also won the third Test in Chennai by 2 wickets. </p>Getty Images
7/10:India vs Sri Lanka
<p>India won the 3-match Test series 2-1 in Sri Lanka after losing the first Test by 63 runs at Galle in August 2015. </p>AFP
8/10:Winners
<p>India won the 2nd Test by 278 runs in Colombo (PSS) and the 3rd Test by 117 runs in Colombo (SSC) to win the series. </p>AFP
9/10:India vs Australia
<p>India won the 4-match Test series 2-1 against Australia after losing the 1st Test in Pune by 333 runs. </p>
10/10:Border Gavaskar Trophy
<p>India won the 2nd Test in Bengaluru by 75 runs, drew the 3rd Test in Ranchi and won the 4th Test in Dharamsala by 8 wickets in February 2017. </p>APTeam unsure about releasing Patidar
With the last Test starting in Dharamshala on March 7, the team management is in a fix over retaining the out-of-form Rajat Patidar. The team management is considering releasing him for Madhya Pradesh’s Ranji Trophy semifinal against Vidarbha which starts on March 2. However, the selectors are waiting for Rahul’s report.
The Indian team management wants to gain as many World Test Championship points as possible. Patidar managed to score just 63 runs in the six innings in the series.
“Ideally, the team management would want to see Patidar go back to play the Ranji semifinal and find some form. But that depends on Rahul’s availability. If Rahul is unavailable then he may be asked to stay back with the team. Even if Devdutt Padikkal makes his debut in the last Test, the team management needs an extra batter in the team as a concussion substitute,” the source said.
1/10:India vs England: Memorable Test series for five debutants
2/10:Dhruv Jurel
<p>Wicketkeeper-batsman Dhruv Jurel marked his debut in Rajkot's third Test with a first-innings 46 to give a glimpse of his promise. </p>
3/10:Match-winner
<p>Jurel rescued India from trouble twice in the fourth Test in Ranchi with 90 in the first innings to guide his side from 177-7 to 307 and then a match-winning 39 not out. </p>AP
4/10:Sarfaraz Khan
<p>Sarfaraz Khan also made his debut in Rajkot and immediately repaid the selectors by cracking 62 off 66 balls in the first innings before being run out. </p>
5/10:Fifties in debut innings
<p>Sarfaraz remained unbeaten on 68 off 72 balls in the second to help set up India's declaration as they won by a massive 434 runs. </p>AP
6/10:Akash Deep
<p>Fast bowler Akash Deep made an instant impact with the new ball on debut in the fourth Test, despite shouldering the burden of replacing Jasprit Bumrah who was rested. </p>
7/10:3-wicket burst
<p>Akash Deep ripped through the England top order with Ben Duckett caught behind and Ollie Pope trapped lbw second ball and smashed Zak Crawley's stumps. </p>Getty Images
8/10:Tom Hartley
<p>24-year-old left-armer Tom Hartley marked his debut in the 1st Test in Hyderabad with nine wickets in a match-winning display. </p>Getty Images
9/10:Hyderabad Test
<p>Hartley spun his team to victory with figures of 7-62 and his 20 wickets in four matches are more than any other bowler and he has also contributed 159 useful runs down the order. </p>PTI
