IND vs ENG: It Is A Big Problem For India - Aakash Chopra On KL Rahul's Absence In Fifth Test

Cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra said KL Rahul’s absence from India’s squad for the England tour is a huge problem for the Indian team in the rescheduled fifth Test match.

On Thursday, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed that Raul will skip the one Test, three ODIs and three T20 Internationals in England next month. The Indian cricket board has decided to send the Indian opener to Germany for medical treatment.

KL Rahul to leave for Germany for medical treatment

Rahul was supposed to lead India in the five T2o Internationals against South Africa at home but unfortunately suffered a groin injury, that ruled him out on the eve of the series. According to a Cricbuzz report, Rahul will leave for Germany at the end of June or early July for his treatment.

KL Rahul played extremely well last time: Aakash Chopra

Rahul is the third-highest run-scorer of the India-England 2021 Test series with 315 runs in four Tests at 39.38 and made it to the Lord’s Honours Boards for his 129 in the second Test.

With senior Indian player Virat Kohli and skipper Rohit Sharma being under fire in IPL 2022, Chopra expressed concerns regarding India’s situation in the series-decider Test.

“He (KL Rahul) played extremely well last time, there is no doubt about that. The Rohit and Rahul pair had worked amazingly well but now I see problems from multiple angles. Firstly, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are going slightly undercooked,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

“Both had a 50-50 IPL and have missed one series in between. The first match of the tour is a Test match. At times, you don’t get acclimatized even till the fourth Test match and here you have only one Test match. So it was already a problem and if after that KL Rahul is not present, it is a bigger problem.”

“Another big problem is who will open instead of him. It is a new thread in itself that will Shubman Gill get a chance to open because Mayank Agarwal is not in the team,” he added. 

India are leading the five-match series 2-1 and the team has a great opportunity to win their first Test series in England since 2007.

Also Read: IND vs ENG: KL Rahul Set To Miss England Tour, To Go Abroad For Treatment