KL Rahul will miss the opening two matches of the 2023 Asia Cup, affirmed India’s head coach Rahul Dravid on August 29. Rahul, who has been on the path to recovery after a prolonged injury layoff, is progressing well, per Dravid, but will not travel to Sri Lanka with the team for the group games.
After being sidelined since sustaining an injury during the IPL this year, Rahul recovered in time to be selected for India’s Asia Cup squad. However, chief selector Ajit Agarkar had previously indicated that the 31-year-old might miss at least the tournament’s inaugural match. Recently at India’s skills program in Alur, Rahul batted painlessly and had also begun maintaining duties, but a cautious approach has been adopted.
India will face Pakistan on September 2 in Pallekele before facing Nepal on September 5 in the other group match. The decision regarding Rahul’s participation in the Super Fours, should India qualify, will be made on September 4, according to Dravid. While Ishan Kishan is already in the squad as a wicketkeeper-batsman reserve, Sanju Samson is also present as a traveling reserve.
“He has had a really good week with us, really trained well, he is progressing well on the route we want to take but he will be unavailable for the Kandy leg of the trip,” Dravid said. “The NCA will be looking after him for the next few days while we are travelling. We will reassess on the 4th and then take it from there. But the signs are looking good and he is progressing really well.”
Dravid also brushed aside suggestions that Rahul might be underprepared for the marquee event in October in India. “The way we are looking at it is actually just two less games that he is going to miss,” he remarked. “Both him and Shreyas are in the same boat. He is really batting well, keeping well, he is doing everything, it’s just a slightly more cautious approach leading into the World Cup.
“He will have a couple of match simulations over the next few days which will give him longer time out there in the middle. We are hoping that it’s just two games that he misses and should be available for the latter part of the tour, there is an Australia series as well. I’m not too worried about it. Both him and Shreyas are experienced players.”
