Injury scare for India as KL Rahul hit on elbow in match simulation

India’s key batter, KL Rahul, walked off during India’s intra-squad simulation at the Western Australia Cricket Association (WACA) stadium after being hit on his right elbow. According to the journalists who were present at the venue, a sharp rising delivery caught Rahul off-guard, and he had to leave the ground in some pain.

Ironically, India wanted to have an intra-squad simulation only to prevent injuries ahead of the first Test on November 22 in Perth. At the pre-departure press conference, India’s head coach, Gautam Gambhir, pointed out how valuable Rahul is to the setup, considering that he is one of India’s backup openers, wicketkeepers and someone who can slot into the middle order as well. 

"There are times you go with experienced players as well. He [KL Rahul] can bat at the top, middle order and at No. 6 as well. He can keep wicket; can do the job for us if Rohit is not available for the 1st Test. We will try and get the best combination – be it KL, Gill or Easwaran", Gambhir said. 

However, the reports added that Rahul is likely to shake off the injury, and there were no concerns in the Indian dressing room. It was also a potential opportunity for Rahul to showcase his prowess at the top of the order following two dismal outings at home against New Zealand, where he scored 0 & 12. 

That leaves India with just Abhimanyu Easwaran as the opener in case Rohit misses out on the first Test in Perth.

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