India batter KL Rahul on Sunday (November 17) dismissed concerns regarding his fitness ahead of the first Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test against Australia in Perth.
In a video shared by the BCCI, Rahul confirmed he was recovering well after copping a blow to his elbow during a simulation match.
“I got a bad hit on day one of the game,” he admitted, but reassured fans of his availability for the series opener.
“I'm feeling good, and I batted today. Getting ready for the first game. I was happy that I could come here early, get some time to get used to the conditions. And, yeah, I've got a lot of time preparing for the series, and I'm excited and looking forward to it.”
India's physiotherapy team, featuring Kamlesh Jain and Yogesh Parmar, played a significant role in ensuring KL Rahul’s recovery.
“The key for us is to make sure there’s no fracture or bony lesions. It’s been 48 hours since the impact, and he’s responded well to treatment,” Jain said.
Parmar added, “Based on the scan reports, we were confident it was just about managing pain and giving him confidence. From a medical point of view, he’s absolutely fine.”
The Indian camp heaved a sigh of relief with Rahul’s return to training, especially after Shubman Gill fractured his thumb during the match simulation and was ruled out of the Perth Test.
During the practice session, KL Rahul faced leading fast bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj for nearly an hour on the centre wicket before heading to the nets for further sessions with both new and old balls.
Rahul is likely to open alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal in the absence of regular skipper Rohit Sharma, who has reportedly decided to stay back in India to spend more time with his family and new-born.
Rahul is looking for a Test comeback as he was left out of the playing XI after the Bengaluru match against New Zealand last month.
Team India have been preparing intensely at the WACA Ground with match simulations against India A. After suffering a 0-3 whitewash at the hands of New Zealand, they need to win four out of five Test matches Down Under to qualify for the WTC final without depending on other sides.
