India's vice-captain KL Rahul provided an update on his fitness after undergoing a surgery on his right groin. The right-handed opener had suffered the injury days before he was slated to lead in the five-match T20I series at home against South Africa. The injury not only ruled Rahul out for the South Africa series but also sidelined him from India's tour to Ireland and England. On Wednesday night, Rahul however, said he is 'headling and recovering well." He posted a smiling picture on a hospital bed and said his 'road to recovery has begun'
“Hello everyone. It's been a tough couple of weeks but the surgery was successful. I’m healing and recovering well. My road to recovery has begun. Thank you for your messages and prayers. See you soon,” Rahul tweeted.
Seconds after Rahul's tweet, his partner and Bollywood actress Athiya Shetty posted the same photograph on her Instagram story and added an emoji to shower lover on the India cricketer. Rahul and Athiya are currently in Germany.
Rahul would be hoping to regain full fitness and return to action as soon as possible as he is an integral part of the Indian batting unit in all forms of the game.
{{/usCountry}}Rahul would be hoping to regain full fitness and return to action as soon as possible as he is an integral part of the Indian batting unit in all forms of the game.
{{/usCountry}}In his absence, wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant had led India in the South Africa T20Is while Hardik Pandya got his first chance to lead India against Ireland when Pant and the other seniors were preparing for the England Test.
Rahul's absence is likely to pinch India more in the longest format of the game as they aim to achieve a series win in England after 15 years. He was one of India's top performers with the bat last year when they beat England in Lord's and at the Oval to take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series before the fifth and final Test at Manchester was postponed due to Covid-19 concerns.
Almost a year later, the postponed fifth Test will take place at Edgbaston in Birmingham and India are likely to be without their first-choice openers Rahul and captain Rohit Sharma. The latter is in a race against time to recover from Covid-19. India head coach Rahul Dravid refused to rule Rohit out of the first Test but it is unlikely that the right-hander will feature in India's XI on Friday.
If Rohit doesn't regain full fitness and tests negative on time, pacer Jasprit Bumrah will get the opportunity to lead India for the first time.