IPL 2024 is Rahul’s comeback match after a quadricep harm dominated him out of the final 4 Assessments of the five-match collection at dwelling in opposition to England earlier this 12 months. Rahul had pulled up with the identical harm – in opposition to RCB, by the way – throughout IPL 2023, and needed to bear surgical procedure adopted by prolonged rehabilitation.
Rahul additionally padded up and went out for a success in opposition to the crew’s web bowlers and throwdown specialists. After a 15-minute session, he received again to ending a number of extra rounds of mobility drills earlier than strolling off to have one other lengthy chat with Langer.
“It is all the time robust when you need to change combos,” Pooran mentioned when requested how Rahul’s absence on the sphere had impacted the crew to date. “Clearly, it is totally different with KL on the sphere. However our senior gamers got here collectively and assisted me in making choices as nicely. It is one thing that occurs. Generally when your captain is not accessible, all of the senior gamers arise, and try to make up for his absence.”
Rahul is among the many contenders for the wicketkeeper-batter’s slot in India’s T20 World Cup squad.
Main into the IPL 2024 season, there had been debate amongst observers whether or not he would bat within the center order to play an identical function he performs for with the nationwide crew. To date, Rahul has opened in each matches.
“I’m not going lose one second’s sleep over KL Rahul,” Langer had mentioned on his common captain final week. “He’s a fantastic participant, he is an impressive participant. There is a motive he is had a lot success for India and I am blessed to have him in our crew, not solely as a gap batsman or a batsman and wicketkeeper, but in addition because the captain. He’s so calm. He is a beautiful particular person.”
