There is a piece of great news for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) fans as Captain KL Rahul is anticipated to recover in time for the kick-off of the IPL 2024 season.
KL Rahul recently underwent successful treatment for a recurring quadricep injury sustained during the 1st Test against England. The right-handed batsman is on track to achieve full fitness before the commencement of the 2024 IPL, where he will lead the Lucknow Super Giants for the third consecutive season. This comes after missing a significant portion of the previous year’s tournament due to the same injury.
Last year, Rahul faced a similar quadriceps injury, leading to surgery in the summer of 2023. He spent months on the sidelines before making a spectacular comeback during the 50-over Asia Cup in Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
As a crucial member of the Indian team in all formats, the 31-year-old has consistently contributed to the team’s success. His noteworthy performance in the Asia Cup 2023 included an unbeaten 111* against Pakistan in the group stages, accumulating a total of 169 runs from just 3 innings.
During the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, Rahul stood as India’s fourth-highest run-scorer, following Virat Kohli (765), Rohit Sharma (597), and Shreyas Iyer (530).
In a noteworthy development, KL Rahul is poised to make a significant shift in his career. Despite taking on the roles of a wicket-keeper and middle-order batsman for India in ODIs and Tests, he has decided to bat in the middle-order for the Lucknow Super Giants in the upcoming IPL 2024. This strategic decision is influenced by the T20 World Cup 2024 scheduled immediately after the IPL, prompting Rahul to focus on the middle-order role.
Presently excluded from India’s T20I team, Rahul has not featured in the squad or the playing XI. The team has entrusted Jitesh Sharma and Sanju Samson with middle-order responsibilities, given the already competitive top-order lineup. Rahul’s last T20I appearance was in the T20 World Cup 2022 semi-final, and he has been omitted since then.
KL Rahul has successfully completed his treatment in London, as reported by the Times of India. The 32-year-old has already commenced his rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru.
“He had consulted top medial experts in London. He returned to India on Sunday and has checked into the BCCI’s NCA in Bangalore for rehab. He should get the Return to Play certificate from the NCA soon. He is keen to prove his wroth in the IPL as he’s in line for selection in India’s T20 World Cup team as a keeper-bat.” – an official source told TOI.
