Published: Aug 10, 2023, 05:29 PM (IST)
Edited: Aug 10, 2023, 05:30 PM (IST)
INDIAN Captain Rohit Sharma expressed concern about the number four spot in the playing 11 in the ODI format ahead of the upcoming edition of the Asia Cup and ODI World Cup 2023. The injuries of Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul left the team without an experienced name in the middle-order.
“It has been a challenge for us to find a no. 4 in ODIs,” Rohit Sharma was quoted by PTI. Hopefully, the Indian team will not be facing this issue in the Asia Cup with KL Rahul recovering well. He could take up the role of wicket-keeper batter and provide experience in the middle order.
Rohit Sharma also said he wants to test his batters in the pressure situation of the Asia Cup which will be crucial ahead of the upcoming edition of the ODI World Cup 2023 set to be held in India entirely for the first time.
Amidst the uncertainty over KL Rahul’s availability in India’s squad for the upcoming big events like Asia Cup and ODI World Cup, sources have told IANS that the wicketkeeper-batter is on the road to be fully fit and could be available for the big-ticket competitions taking place in next few months.
“He’s on his way to be properly fit and could be available for the Indian team’s upcoming matches. Previously, people had said that he wasn’t close to resuming batting in the nets, but he was seen batting at the same day. He is on the way to be fit and maybe, he will be available now,” a source privy to the development told IANS.
Recently, through his social media accounts, Rahul had posted images and videos of himself resuming batting and keeping practice. On July 21, the BCCI had said in a medical update that the right-handed batter has resumed batting in the nets and is undergoing strength and fitness drills at the NCA.
But if sources are to be believed, a fully fit Rahul means he can be drafted into India’s squad for the upcoming Asia Cup, set to be played from August 30 to September 17. He can then be seen in action in India’s three ODIs against Australia later in September and the Men’s ODI World Cup at home from October 5 to November 17.
Rahul’s availability will be a huge boost for India in the middle-order, a role where he has thrived in the format since 2020. With the experiments of trying Sanju Samson and Suryakumar Yadav not yielding the desired results in the ODI series against West Indies, Rahul’s return as a batter-keeper will give much-needed solidity and experience to India’s middle-order.
