Former India cricketer Laxman Sivaramakrishnan has advised KL Rahul to play domestic matches before making his return to international cricket. Rahul, who is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) following a thigh injury and subsequent surgery, is expected to return to the national team in a few weeks’ time.
Expressing his opinion, Sivaramakrishnan emphasized the importance of assessing Rahul’s match fitness and batting form through domestic cricket. He believes that simply practicing in the nets is not enough to prepare for international competition.
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In a tweet from his official social media handle, Laxman Sivaramakrishnan stated, “He should be made to play domestic cricket to assess his match fitness and batting form. Getting back into the Indian team should not be so easy, you bat in the nets and ready for international competition.”
He should be made to play domestic cricket to assess his match fitness and batting form. Getting back into the Indian team should not be so easy, you bat in the nets and ready for international competition
— Laxman Sivaramakrishnan (@LaxmanSivarama1) June 28, 2023
With the upcoming Asia Cup 2023 and ODI World Cup, there are expectations that Rahul could make his return prior to these events. The batter sustained a thigh injury during the latter phase of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 and missed the remainder of the matches. He also sat out of India’s recent defeat against Australia in the ICC World Test Championship final.
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Rahul underwent surgery in the UK and is now undergoing an extensive rehabilitation program in Bengaluru. While the official schedule for the Asia Cup is yet to be announced by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), the tournament is set to begin on August 31, hosted by Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
The BCCI medical team has not yet given the official clearance for Rahul’s return to the national team. As his recovery progresses, it remains to be seen when he will be deemed fit to represent India once again.
