KL Rahul has indicated that he is ready to open in the first Test of the five-match Test series against Australia, kicking off at the Optus Stadium in Perth on Friday, November 22. (More Cricket News)
Rohit Sharma is set to miss the first Test, and will join the Indian squad in Adelaide after spending time with his new-born as Sharma and his wife Ritika Sajdeh were blessed with a baby boy.
Rahul, who left the field for some medical attention after coping a blow on his elbow by a rising ball off his Karnataka teammate Prasidh Krishna while batting in an intra-squad match simuation at the Western Australia Cricket Association ground in Perth.
However, he batted with no major discomfort and also took part in the full three-hour session.
"I had got a bad hit on Day 1 of the game. I am feeling good today, getting ready for the first game. Happy that I could come here early and get used to the conditions," Rahul said in a video shared by BCCI on X.
"Yeah, I got a lot of time to prepare for this series and I am excited and looking forward to it," he added.
Rahul is expected to bat at the top of the order with Yashasvi Jaiswal, and his recovery is a major sigh of relief for India, with No.3 batter Shubman Gill reportedly out of the Perth test with a fractured thumb.
In Rohit’s absence, India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah will lead the Indian side.
The Indian Cricket Team have also concluded their training at the WACA and will now move to the Optus Stadium on Tuesday, with a rest day scheduled on Monday.
