MELBOURNE, Nov 15 (Reuters) - In a recent practice match at the WACA Ground in Perth, Indian opener KL Rahul suffered an injury scare after being hit on the elbow by a sharp delivery from teammate Prasidh Krishna. The incident happened during India’s three-day intra-squad "match simulation" session, as they prepare for the highly anticipated test series against Australia.
Rahul, who was struck by a rising delivery, immediately sought medical attention from the team’s support staff. With only a week remaining until the first test match at Perth Stadium, his fitness will be closely monitored. Should regular opener and captain Rohit Sharma miss the series opener due to family commitments, Rahul is expected to pair with young talent Yashasvi Jaiswal at the top of the batting order.
Meanwhile, India’s star batsman Virat Kohli put on a brave front as he came out to bat despite recent injury concerns. Media reports earlier in the week indicated that Kohli had undergone scans for an unspecified issue, leaving fans and the Indian camp in suspense. Despite the potential setback, Kohli took to the field on Friday, facing bowlers from a team made up of India A squad players and other fringe members.
India’s support staff have yet to make an official statement regarding the injuries to both Rahul and Kohli. Kohli’s form has been a topic of concern, particularly after a challenging series in New Zealand where he managed just 93 runs across three matches, averaging 15.50 as India suffered a 3-0 whitewash. Under pressure to regain his form, Kohli’s appearance on the field signals his determination to make an impact in the upcoming series.
Kohli, however, fell cheaply in Friday's session, scoring only 15 runs before being caught in the slips off Mukesh Kumar’s bowling, according to ESPNcricinfo. With India keen to reverse their recent misfortunes, the team has chosen an intra-squad match to gear up for the Australia tests, a shift from their usual practice of warm-up games against local teams. This approach will allow them to fine-tune strategies and address any internal weaknesses as they head into a challenging five-test series.
