KL Rahul ruled out
BCCI did not say anything about Jadeja’s physical readiness or whether he could be picked to play in the third Test against England in Rajkot.
India’s lineup for the third Test against England took a hit when KL Rahul was ruled out due to an injury that also caused him to miss the second Test in Visakhapatnam. Although it was hoped he might play in the last three Tests, his recovery didn’t go as planned. On Monday, the BCCI’s selection committee announced that Devdutt Padikkal, another player from Karnataka, will take his place. It is still unclear, however, if all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who was previously also in doubt for the Rajkot match due to fitness concerns, will be able to play.
Last week, the team for the last three Tests against England was chosen, and it included 17 players. Shreyas Iyer was removed from the squad because he hasn’t been scoring well. Even though Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul were named in the squad, they had to pass a fitness test by the BCCI’s medical staff to actually play. Jadeja hurt his hamstring in the first Test at Hyderabad, and Rahul had quadriceps pain after that match. As a result, both experienced players were unable to participate in the second Test in Visakhapatnam.
However, there is still hope for Jadeja to make it back into the playing XI for the third Test in Rajkot. The BCCI did not provide any updates on his physical readiness or whether he has passed the fitness test, leaving fans and experts speculating about his inclusion in the team.
This uncertainty around Jadeja’s availability has raised concerns about India’s spinning options for the upcoming match. With Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel as the only other spinners in the squad, not having Jadeja could prove to be a major setback for the team. However, it also presents an opportunity for young players like Padikkal to fill in and make a mark in their debut series.
Unfortunately, Rahul hasn’t healed enough to play in the Rajkot Test. He will keep getting better at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru and aims to be ready for the last two Tests. The BCCI said, “Rahul is almost ready to play again and is making good progress with the medical team. He will keep working on getting fully fit at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru so he can play in the fourth and fifth Test.”
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Can Ravindra Jadeja play in the third Test match against England?
The cricket board’s announcement didn’t talk about whether Jadeja is fit to play or if he can be chosen for the third Test in Rajkot. Just like when the team for the last three Tests was announced, there was a special note next to his name saying his playing depends on if the medical team gives him the okay.
Unlike Rahul, who wasn’t present in Rajkot for the third Test, a news report said that Jadeja was with the Indian team and took part in their first practice on Monday.
KL Rahul is not yet in Rajkot for the third Test. Meanwhile, Ravindra Jadeja, who is from the area, has joined the Indian team. His ability to play is still dependent on his health, and the BCCI’s medical team isn’t fully sure that he’s ready to play in the match,” a high-level source from BCCI informed PTI without revealing their identity.\
If Ravindra Jadeja is cleared to play, he will immediately be included in India’s starting lineup. This would mean that either Axar Patel or Kuldeep Yadav would not play in the third Test.
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