Ravi Shastri, the former Indian cricketer, holds the opinion that KL Rahul should be excluded from India’s plans for the upcoming edition of the Asia Cup 2023. KL Rahul has been honing his skills at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) and is anticipated to make the cut for India’s squad in major tournaments.
With the Asia Cup 2023 set to kick off in a mere two weeks, commencing with the first match on August 31, Team India’s campaign is poised to start on September 2 against their arch-rivals, Pakistan. Shastri, the former head coach of India, suggests that introducing KL Rahul directly into the mix might not be advisable given his prolonged absence from competitive cricket.
The right-handed batsman’s most recent appearance was for Lucknow Super Giants in the 16th edition of the Indian Premier League, where he sustained an injury while patrolling the boundary against Royal Challengers Bangalore, leading to his withdrawal from the tournament. As a result, Shastri believes that Rahul needs to engage in a few more games before making his return to international cricket.
Rahul, who hails from Bengaluru, has resumed his batting practice as part of his preparation for a national comeback post-injury. Recognizing that Rahul’s last cricketing action was in March, Shastri acknowledges that he has been out of competitive play for nearly five months.
While Team India requires a wicketkeeper, Shastri underscores the potential burden on Rahul, considering his recent injury and recovery phase. He emphasizes that expecting Rahul to immediately feature in the XI for the Asia Cup could be too demanding for the player, especially with the added responsibilities of wicket-keeping, as the range of movement and related factors post-injury need to be considered. Ravi Shastri elaborated on this perspective during an interview on Star Sports, as reported by India Today.