Breaking News: KL Rahul Injured & Ruled Out Of New Zealand Tests, BCCI Names Replacement

Indian opener KL Rahul has been ruled out of the Test series against New Zealand that is slated to begin on November 25 in Kanpur. The two sides are up against each other in a 2-match Test series that is part of the WTC 2021-23.

According to BCCI sources, Rahul will not be taking part in the first game due to an injury. Rahul suffered a muscle strain on his left thigh which has ensured that he won’t be playing the entire series.

This comes as a big blow to the Indian side as they were already without Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli as the experienced duo has been rested. As his replacement, the BCCI has confirmed that Suryakumar Yadav has been added to the squad.

“Team India batsman Mr. KL Rahul has sustained a muscle strain on his left thigh and has been ruled out of the upcoming 2-match Paytm Test series against New Zealand. He will now undergo rehabilitation at NCA in preparation for the series against South Africa scheduled next month. The All-India Senior Selection Committee has named Mr. Suryakumar Yadav as KL Rahul’s replacement,” the media release from BCCI read.

Ajinkya Rahane will remain the skipper for the first Test before Kohli returns to the fold to assume captaincy. The series is also of prime importance to two of India’s senior-most batsmen, Cheteshwar Pujara and Rahane.

They have been going through a rough patch and a failure in home games will likely result in exclusion from the South African tour.

India’s Test squad:

Ajinkya Rahane (c), Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara (vc), Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), KS Bharat (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, R. Ashwin, Axar Patel, Jayant Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Md. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.

Also Read – IND vs NZ 2021: Cheteshwar Pujara Hints At Shubman Gill’s Place In Indian Team, Says Won’t Reveal His Batting Position