Veteran India batter KL Rahul will be unavailable for the first two games of the 2023 Asia Cup, India’s head coach Rahul Dravid has confirmed on Tuesday (August 29). Rahul, who has been recovering well from his injury after a long injury layoff, is progressing well according to Dravid but he will not be flying with the team to Sri Lanka for the group games as well.
Meanwhile, Team India are playing Pakistan in their first game on Saturday (September 2) in Pallekele before taking on Nepal in the other group game on Monday as well. According to Rahul Dravid, KL Rahul’s participation in the Super Fours, should India qualify, will be taken on September 4 as well.
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“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,” Rahul 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.”
Rahul Dravid also backed KL Rahul about his preparation for the marquee event in October in India.
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“The way we are looking at it is actually just two less games that he is going to miss. 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,” Rahul Dravid concluded.
