KL Rahul, the middle-order batsman, is highly likely to make his return to the cricket field for the fourth India-England Test set to commence in Ranchi on February 23. India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, provided an optimistic update on Rahul’s condition during his post-match press conference in Rajkot on Sunday, stating, “he should be okay.”

Both KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja were sidelined for the second Test in Visakhapatnam but were included in the squad for the subsequent Tests in Rajkot, Ranchi, and Dharamsala. Their participation hinged on their fitness, with Jadeja successfully recovering in time for his home Test, while Rahul remained unavailable, leading to the announcement of Devdutt Padikkal as his replacement by the senior selection committee.

Rehabilitation Progress of KL Rahul Ahead of Ranchi Test

A BCCI media advisory on February 12 confirmed Rahul’s unavailability for the third Test in Rajkot, citing that he had reached 90% match fitness and was progressing well under the BCCI Medical Team’s supervision. During the Rajkot Test, Rahul continued his recovery regimen at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, aiming to achieve full match fitness for the subsequent Tests.

Rahul had experienced discomfort in his right quadriceps during the first Test in Hyderabad, sidelining him from action since then. However, he recently shared a video of himself engaged in a net session, indicating his gradual return to form and likelihood of featuring in the middle order for the Ranchi Test.

Middle Order Dilemma: Options and Performances in Rahul’s Absence

In Rahul’s absence, the team experimented with Rajat Patidar and Sarfaraz Khan in the middle order. While Patidar is yet to make a significant impact in the four innings he has played, Sarfaraz made an immediate impression with fifties in each innings of his debut Test.

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Leading up to the third Test, the team management released Mukesh Kumar from the squad to enable him to participate in the Ranji Trophy for Bengal. However, new additions Akash Deep and Padikkal remained with the squad. Padikkal even served as a substitute fielder for R Ashwin during the Test, who had to depart due to a family medical emergency, before Ashwin’s return on Day 4 saw him contribute with a wicket as India sealed a comprehensive victory.