Image Credit- LSG
Despite missing
India’s last four Test matches against England due to a quadriceps tendon
injury, skipper KL Rahul is expected to be “ready to go” for his
team’s inaugural match in the Twenty24 Indian Premier League, according to new
coach Justin Langer of the Lucknow Super Giants.
Following India’s defeat in Hyderabad at the end of January, Rahul experienced
soreness in his right quadriceps and has not played since. He flew to London
last month to see a specialist. He connected with the LSG team on Wednesday
night, and Langer said he will be prepared for Sunday afternoon’s match against
the Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur.
“KL was supposed to be here this afternoon to play in the practice game
tonight, but unfortunately, he’s had a hold-up on the aeroplane,” Langer
said on Wednesday in a virtual media conference. “He’ll be at the ground
later on tonight, so he’ll probably arrive just after the start of the day’s
play.”
“He’ll be around for the first time to be with the boys and to be with the
team. Everyone’s looking forward to seeing him. We know he has worked very hard
to tick off all his return-to-play protocols. He’s worked very hard. He’s been
practising, he’s been hitting lots of balls. He’s hopefully ready to go. It’s
going to be nice to have the captain with us.”
Though the
off-season addition of Devdutt Padikkal raises the prospect that Rahul may drop
from his normal opening place, Langer did not clarify where Rahul will bat this
season. Rahul would also have the chance to argue for his inclusion in India’s
middle order prior to the T20 World Cup in June if that change were to take
place.
“I haven’t been coaching for two years since I left the Australian cricket
team, and for two years I’ve been sleeping very well at night,” Langer
said, laughing. “Now, it’s hard to sleep at night because it’s very hard
to fit so much talent into 11 positions. It’s a good problem to have. It’s a
sweet problem, but we’ll work it out. It’s nice to have so much talent in our
squad.”