KL Rahul confirms he will undergo surgery on his thigh

KL Rahul has confirmed that he will undergo surgery on his thigh and will begin his rehabilitation in the coming weeks. This means, Rahul will not just miss the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023, but will not take part in the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia at The Oval.

Rahul suffered the injury during the Lucknow Super Giants' (LSG) game agianst Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Monday (May 1) and did not take part in the game again, until he came out to bat at No. 11, managing to face just three deliveries as his side lost by 18 runs.

In his absence, Krunal Pandya led the side in the game against RCB, the washed out game against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Wednesday (May 5) and is likely to continue for the rest of the season.

"After careful consideration and consultation with the medical team, it's been concluded that I'll be undergoing a surgery on my thigh shortly. My focus will be on my rehabilitation and recovery in the coming weeks. It's a tough call to make, but I know it's the right one to ensure a full recovery," Rahul said in a post on social media.

"As the team captain, it pains me deeply not to be able to be there during this crucial period. But, I'm confident that the boys will rise to the occasion and give their best performance as always. I'll be cheering for them from the sidelines with all of you, watching every game. @lucknowsupergiants

"Absolutely gutted that I won't be at the Oval next month with Team India. I'll do everything I can to get back in blue and help my country. That has always been my focus and priority. @indiancricketteam

"I want to express gratitude to each one of you - my fans, that gave me the strength to get back up, the LSG management and the BCCI for their promptness, and my teammates for their unwavering support during this difficult time.

"Your encouragement and messages mean a lot to me and motivate me to come back stronger and fitter than ever before.

"Meanwhile, I promise to keep you all updated on my progress, and hope to be back on the field sooner than soon. The last few days have been really hard, but I'm determined to come out on top.

"Injuries are never easy, but I'll give it my all as always. Thank you for all the support and good wishes."

Rahul was dropped from the Test side during the Australia series at home after a string on low scores. However, while his inclusion in the WTC final raised many eyebrows, one thought he could keep wickets and slot into the middle-order. This blow confirms that KS Bharat will continue to don the gloves, as he did in the series against Australia. 

Both India and Rahul's IPL franchise are yet to formally announce a replacement.