 "Senior India wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul is being considered a prime candidate to open alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal in the first Test between India and Australia in Perth. PTI")
KL Rahul was back in the nets two days after suffering an injury scare while uncapped pacer Harshit Rana sizzled at the WACA Ground, raising hopes of the 22-year-old pacer from Delhi making his international debut at some point in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy if not in the series opener in Perth. Shubman Gill, meanwhile, continued to skip practice after reportedly suffering a fracture on his left thumb.
Rahul had left the field during India’s intra-squad match simulation in Perth on Friday after being struck on his elbow by a short ball from Prasidh Krishna. The incident only added to India’s woes ahead of the first Test, with skipper Rohit Sharma likely to give it a miss following the birth of his second child and Gill virtually ruled out as a result of his injury .
However, according to ESPNCricinfo, Rahul has shrugged off injury concerns by returning to the nets for some batting practice during the visitors’ training session on Sunday. The senior wicketkeeper-batter, who spent an hour having a hit on the ground, did not show any signs of discomfort though the blow to his elbow on Saturday appeared to have broken his flow a tad.
Rahul’s return to the nets is good news for the visitors, meaning they will have an experienced batter available to open alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal in the Perth Test assuming Rohit misses out.
As for Gill’s slot, the Indian team management has asked both B Sai Sudharsan and Devdutt Padikkal to stay back while the rest of the India A squad flies back home following their unofficial Test series against Australia A.
Rana impresses in Perth
India’s frontline quicks had begun training in pace-friendly conditions in Perth on Saturday and continued to do so on Sunday as well. And according to Australia-based journalist Bharat Sundaresan, Rana has been “super impressive” so far at the WACA, almost as if he was “born to bowl on Australian pitches”.
Rana had received his maiden Test call-up as the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee decided to reward him for his consistency in all three formats and for collecting two four-fers along with a five-wicket haul in his last three domestic red-ball appearances.
Rana had initially been included in the Jasprit Bumrah-led pace department along with Mohammed Siraj, Krishna and Akash Deep, with senior pacer Mohammed Shami not being included due to concerns regarding his fitness.
However, following Shami’s successful comeback after a year-long absence due to an ankle injury and a subsequent surgery, it remains to be seen if the selectors end up adding him to the squad. In such a scenario, Shami will likely continue sharing the new ball with Bumrah with Siraj coming in at the first change.
Rana, who was part of the Kolkata Knight Riders team that won the IPL this year, could make his debut later in the series with the team management includes him as the fourth seamer, or play him in place of Siraj.