Gearing up for Asia Cup? Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul bat in the nets at NCA as Rishabh Pant watches on
India’s middle-order batters KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer are gearing up for a potential return to the senior national team ahead of the ODI World Cup. The two stars were seen batting in an intra-squad simulation match at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru on Sunday, August 13.
Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant, who is also at the NCA for his rehabilitation, shared a video of KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer in a partnership in the middle during a match simulation exercise in the KSCA B ground in Bengaluru. The two batters ran a single comfortably after one of the batters pushed a delivery to the deep cover fielder.
“Loved watching live cricket after a long time,” Rishabh Pant said in a video he shared on Instagram on Monday, August 14.
The Indian team management has been keen on getting both Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul fit for the ODI squad ahead of the Asia Cup, considering both captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid would want them to return to form before the ODI World Cup, starting October 5. The Asia Cup, which will be played in the 50-over format, will get underway from August 30.
Notably, Jasprit Bumrah, who recovered from his injury concerns, is all set to make his comeback for Team India when they tour Ireland for a 3-match T20I series from August 18 to 23. Bumrah was named captain of a young squad for the series.
A fitness test might be put in place for both the players before the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee announces the squad for Asia Cup. Also, head coach Rahul Dravid said the team will have a camp in Bengaluru ahead of the Asia Cup.
KL Rahul, the captain of Lucknow Super Giants, suffered a thigh injury during an IPL 2023 match against Royal Challengers Bangalore on May 1st. The injury was severe enough to necessitate surgery, which took place successfully on May 9th. Following the operation, Rahul embarked on an extensive rehabilitation program at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru, as he shared on his official Instagram handle. His recovery process involved rigorous gym workouts under the supervision of BCCI trainers. Despite missing out on India’s WTC final against Australia and the West Indies tour due to his injury, Rahul is expected to return to the Indian team before the start of the Asia Cup in August.
On the other hand, Shreyas Iyer, another key player for the Indian cricket team, has been grappling with a recurring back injury. This issue, caused by a bulging disc impinging a nerve, forced him to undergo a “successful” back surgery in London on June 3rd, 2023. The surgery resulted in Iyer missing the entire IPL 2023 season and the World Test Championship (WTC) final. Post-surgery, Iyer embarked on a comprehensive rehabilitation period, which included training at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore. However, despite these efforts, there were no signs of improvement, leading to his decision to proceed with surgical intervention.
