Boost for India as KL Rahul returns to bat in Sunday training

NewsWith Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma ruled out of the Perth Test, it remains to be seen at what position Rahul will bat

With Shubman Gill set to miss the Perth Test, KL Rahul’s return to training came as a big boost for India on Sunday. He shrugged off injury concerns as he returned to batting during the team’s training session at the WACA in Perth.

Rahul left the field early in India’s intra-squad match simulation on Friday after being struck on the elbow by a rising delivery from Prasidh Krishna. The blow left him grimacing and he trudged off the ground after seeking medical attention. Rahul did not return to the crease later that day as India’s main batters had another turn at the crease.

But Rahul was put through a solid workout during India’s training session on Sunday morning that lasted nearly three hours. After two days of match simulation – featuring effectively India’s main XI against a line-up comprising fringe or India A players – some squad members trained on the WACA centre wicket and nets.

Rahul spent about an hour having a hit on the ground before a short workout at the nets. There were no signs of discomfort although Rahul did not look as fluent as before his blow during the match simulation when he opened the innings alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal.

“Based on the reporting, I was a lot more confident that he should be fine,” Yogesh Parmar, one of India’s physiotherapists who accompanied Rahul for the X-rays and scans, said on a post on X from BCCI. “It was just a matter of controlling the pain and him getting some confidence. From a medical point of view, he is absolutely fine”

“I’m feeling good and I’ve batted today,” Rahul said, “getting ready for the first game. [I] was happy that I could come here early, get some time to get used to the conditions. I’ve got a lot of time preparing for the series and I’m excited and looking forward to it.”

Rahul’s improved fitness status came just hours before Gill’s unavailability for Perth was confirmed. Gill suffered a thumb injury on the second day of India’s intra-squad training match. His position in the batting order, however, remains uncertain following the news that Rohit Sharma will not arrive in Perth in time for the first Test, after he and his wife Ritika Sajdeh had their second child on Friday.

Gill, who made 28 and an unbeaten 42 on Friday, picked up the injury while fielding in the slips and left the field. He wasn’t sighted at Sunday’s training session which did not feature several of India’s leading batters, including Jaiswal, Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant.

Amid reports that he underwent scans recently, Kohli batted without any sign of discomfort across two innings on the first day of the match simulation. He made 15 and 30 not out, but struggled at times against short-pitched bowling on a relatively sedate WACA surface.

India’s frontline bowling attack, led by vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah, was unleashed during the match simulation on day two and they also trained on Sunday.

After an initial three days at the nets followed by three days of match-simulation practice on the centre wicket, India have completed their block of training at the WACA. Tuesday onwards, they will resume their preparations at the Optus Stadium, where the first Test begins on November 22.

While some net sessions and the first day of match simulation were open to the media, the weekend activities took place behind closed doors owing to logistical reasons.

Hosts Australia, meanwhiless, start their first Test preparations on Monday with a training session at the WACA.

Tristan Lavalette is a journalist based in Perth