KL Rahul to undergo fitness test at the NCA ahead of 2022 Asia Cup - Reports
Team India wicket-keeper batter KL Rahul will be required to undergo a fitness test at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru ahead of the 2022 Asia Cup. The 30-year-old has been asked to prove his fitness after being named in the 15-man squad for the tournament that begins on August 27.
While there is belief among the management that the player has recovered from his injury, it is still necessary that he officially prove it in the presence of BCCI medical staff.
The Karnataka-born batter is yet to play a solitary T20I for Team India in 2022 with COVID-19 and injuries making untimely appearances. A source in the BCCI told InsideSport:
“KL Rahul is fully fit and that is the reason he is selected in the team. But as a protocol he will undergo a fitness test in Bengaluru.”
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He was last seen playing in the 2022 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), following which he left for Germany to undergo a hernia surgery. The ace batter was ruled out of the England tour as a result and his comeback was delayed after he contracted COVID-19 ahead of the Caribbean tour.
Shreyas Iyer to replace KL Rahul in the squad should he fail the fitness test
The opening batter is desperate for some game time under his belt as the 2022 T20 World Cup nears by. The management have already tried out several opening combinations in the absence of the injured batter and it is pertinent that he be a part of India in the Asia Cup as well as the subsequent home season.
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If Rahul fails to clear the fitness test, which is reported to be conducted next week, the team are likely to rope in reserve batter Shreyas Iyer into the main squad. Apart from Iyer, the likes of Deepak Chahar and Axar Patel have been named as stand-by players for the tournament.
India will open their Asia Cup campaign with a clash against arch-rivals Pakistan at the Dubai International Stadium on August 28 (Sunday).
Will KL Rahul be able to prove his fitness and cement his place in the World Cup squad in time? Let us know what you think.