KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer unlikely to play Asia Cup: Details
As per a Cricbuzz report, KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer are unlikely to feature in Asia Cup 2023. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) sources informed that the two players are yet to fully recover for the tournament, starting August 30. As per them, the cricket board doesn't want to rush their comeback. Here are further details.
Why does this story matter?
India await the return of both Iyer and Rahul, who are recovering from their respective injuries. Iyer is yet to recover after undergoing surgery on his injured back. He has already missed the entirety of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 and the World Test Championship final (WTC). Similarly, Rahul underwent surgery on his thigh, which ruled him out of the WTC final.
BCCI against rushing comebacks
Although both Iyer and Rahul players shared their fitness progress on social media, the BCCI is against rushing their international comeback. Notably, Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah bore the brunt of this last year.
Here's how Iyer and Rahul got injured
Iyer missed the final Test match of the Border Gavaskar Trophy after he complained of lower back pain. In 42 ODIs, he has racked up 1,631 runs at an average of 46.60 (two centuries). On the other hand, Rahul sustained a hamstring injury while fielding against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the IPL. He owns 1,986 runs in 54 ODIs at 45.13 (five tons).
These players could get an extended run
In the absence of both Iyer and Rahul, the players who were part of the three-ODI series in West Indies, will likely feature in the Asia Cup. Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, and Sanju Samson can get an extended run. Although Iyer and Rahul will miss the Asia Cup, they are in contention for the 2023 ICC World Cup.
