Watch: KL Rahul mobbed by enthusiastic fans as he visits Sree Siddaganga Mutt in Tumkur ahead of the 4th Test

Indian batter KL Rahul was sidelined from the recent two Tests of the five-match series against England due to discomfort in his right quadriceps. KL Rahul is expected to rejoin the national cricket team before the fourth Test match, scheduled to be played in Ranchi.

In the third Test at the Niranjan Shah Stadium, India clinched a massive 434-run victory, marking their largest-ever win margin in Test cricket. Despite the absence of key players such as KL Rahul and Virat Kohli, the Indian team took a 2-1 lead in the ongoing home series.

Watch – KL Rahul Visits Sree Siddaganga Mutt In Tumkur

Ahead of the fourth Test, KL Rahul visited the Sree Siddaganga Mutt in Tumkur with his parents, participating in darshan and religious rituals to seek blessings for his upcoming endeavours.

📹 KL RAHUL VISITS SREE SIDDAGANGA MUTT IN TUMKUR AHEAD OF 4th TEST.

For more stories and videos, visit the Sports Tak website⬇️https://t.co/H5XWuscXHH@klrahul #KLRahul #SREESIDDAGANGAMUTT #INDvsENGTest #RanchiTest #SportsTak pic.twitter.com/gtBay9K6WU

— Sports Tak (@sports_tak) February 19, 2024

Watch: Enthusiastic Fans Surround KL Rahul

While Rahul headed to his car, enthusiastic fans mobbed him to capture photos of the cricket star. A fan recorded the scene and shared the footage on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter).

Eeroju Tumkur lo @klrahul annani chala daggarundi chusa pic.twitter.com/tbDgbtUIsu

— 🚶 (@Akhilrc18_) February 18, 2024

Devdutt Padikkal Replaced KL Rahul In Squad For Third Test

In a statement released by the BCCI on February 12, it was announced that Devdutt Padikkal would replace Rahul for the third Test. The board mentioned that Rahul has been progressing to regain full fitness at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru.

“Mr. Rahul has reached 90 per cent of match fitness and is progressing well under the supervision of the BCCI Medical Team. He will continue his recovery process at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru to be completely match-fit for the fourth and fifth Test.

“The Men’s Selection Committee named Devdutt Padikkal as KL Rahul’s replacement for the third Test, starting February 15, 2024,” the release added.

KL Rahul Likely To Replace Rajat Patidar In Playing XI

Rahul complained of pain in his right quadriceps during the first Test in Hyderabad. In his absence, young batters Rajat Patidar and Sarfaraz Khan made their Test debuts. Sarfaraz impressed immediately by scoring fifties in both innings of his third Test match in Rajkot.

Meanwhile, Patidar has yet to make a significant impact in his four innings. Rahul might replace Patidar if he regains full fitness for the next match, scheduled to be played at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi, starting on Friday, February 23.

KL Rahul scored 86 in the first innings of the opening Test in Hyderabad and 22 in the second innings. However, the home team suffered a disappointing 28-run defeat in the series opener, despite taking a substantial 190-run lead in the first innings of the match.

The team might rest pacer Jasprit Bumrah at Ranchi to preserve his freshness for the final Test of the series. Akash Deep is a potential replacement. Alternatively, India may include an extra spinner like Axar Patel, considering the spin-friendly nature of the Ranchi track.

Also read: KL Rahul set to return for 4th Test, Rajat Patidar likely to make way: Report