Indian middle-order key batters KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer are likely to miss the upcoming Asia Cup and World Cup this year as they are yet to fully recover from their respective injuries.
India’s Key batters KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer are doubtful for the upcoming Asia Cup in Sri Lanka and The World Cup 2024 on their home soil. They both were expected to recover from their respective injuries as they both had started rehabilitation weeks ago but there may be a major chance that they miss the World Cup 2024 and Asia Cup in Sri Lanka.
Team India will be concerned about playing their best combination in the upcoming World Cup and Asia Cup because of the major injuries of senior cricketers such as Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, and Jasprit Bumrah. India’s young lineup hasn’t contributed much and they have been inconsistent.
Injuries of KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer
KL Rahul suffered from a hamstring injury during IPL 2024 which kept him out of cricketing action for the past few months whereas Shreyas Iyer suffered from a back injury, due to which he has been out of cricketing action for almost a year now. Shreyas Iyer even missed IPL 2024 due to his back fracture.
While both cricketers have been uploading their fitness journeys on their social media. BCCI (The Board of Control of Cricket in India) thinks they may not be able to fit in for the upcoming Asia Cup.
BCCI hasn’t mentioned the status of the comeback, but they suggested that 50 over format may not be the best thing for their comeback in the humid conditions of Sri Lanka. Shreyas Iyer is more likely to miss both events whereas KL Rahul may get fit before the three-match ODI series against Australia for his comeback.
Australia series will be the decider series for their position in the playing eleven for the world cup. While team India has many options for their playing eleven but they might need the service of players such as KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer as they are more experienced for mega events such as World Cup.
Who is likely to make their place in the playing eleven if KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer fail to recover?
Indian batters Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul have started batting in nets but BCCI officials believe that they both are far from the fitness where they can play fifty-over format. Shreyas Iyer was the first preference for number 4 in the batting lineup whereas KL Rahul will be the first-choice wicketkeeper and will bat at number 5 in the upcoming world cup if he gets fit.
Another important Indian wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant is in the recovery stage so he will probably miss the World Cup too. This leaves India with only two wicket-keeper choices, Idhan Kishan and Sanju Samson.
Ishan Kishan who bagged the player of the series in India’s tour of West Indies has scored consecutive half-centuries in the fifty-over format but many experts believe that if he doesn’t get to open then he might not get placed in the playing eleven because of his poor record down the order.
Sanju Samson who almost averages fifty in ODIs might be the considerable wicketkeeper option for the World Cup in India because of his good stats and ability to play the spin. Indian veteran batter Mohommad Kaif said that he is very impressed with the batting of Sanju Samson and his ability to play left-arm spin and leg spin in the middle order.
