After winning the second Test match, Team India is heading towards the third Test match. On February 15, Team India will face England in Rajkot. In the first match, KL Rahul got injured and missed the second Test. His arrival is delayed and is set to miss the third Test. As per the reports, Karnataka player Devdutt Padikkal will replace him in the third Test match.
Rahul’s Injury and India’s Setback:
After facing a 28-run defeat in the first Test match against England, KL Rahul complained about right quadriceps pain. Due to that injury, he missed the second Test against England. That was a setback for India. He headed to NCA to start the rehab process along with Ravindra Jadeja.
Rahul is currently focused on regaining match fitness during the ongoing England series. The Indian medical team plans to monitor his progress for another week before making a final decision on his availability. Rahul’s dedication to improving his fitness is evident, and the medical team wants to ensure he is fully ready before allowing him to participate in the matches. The assessment will continue over the next week, and the team will make a careful judgment on when Rahul can return to the playing field based on his overall fitness and readiness for competitive cricket.
Devdutt as Replacement and His Current Form:
KL Rahul is all set to miss the third Test match against England in Rajkot. As per the reports, Karnataka batter Devdutt Padikkal will replace the wicketkeeper-batter in the third Test match. In IPL 2024, Padikkal will play for Rahul’s LSG. He was traded to LSG from RR for Avesh Khan. The maiden Test call-up for India is a big thing in the youngster’s career.
He is taking part in the Ranji Trophy for Karnataka. In between, he played for India A against England Lions. He is in a terrific form. The left-handed Indian batsman, Paddikal, showcased his cricket prowess by scoring an impressive 151 runs in a recent Ranji Trophy match. The Chairman of selectors, Ajit Agarkar, personally witnessed Paddikal’s remarkable performance during the Karnataka vs. Tamil Nadu game, where he played a brilliant innings to strengthen his case for selection. He played an excellent knock of 151 runs in 218 runs with 12 boundaries and 6 over-boundaries with a strike rate of 69.27.
Paddikal’s outstanding form continued with a score of 193 against Punjab in the Ranji opener, and he also notched up a century against Goa. In his last three innings for India A, Paddikal has consistently delivered noteworthy scores of 105, 65, and 21, showcasing his consistency and potential.
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