India’s injury concerns were elevated as vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane was declared unfit for play in first the warm-up match. But in a piece of encouraging news, the right-hander has started practicing ahead of the five-match test series against England.
Last week in Durham, the BCCI released a statement, stating that Ajinkya Rahane had a “mild swelling around his left upper hamstring.”
“This has been addressed by an injection. He is not available for the three-day first-class warm-up game. The BCCI Medical Team is monitoring him, and he is expected to fully recover well in time for the first Test against England starting from 4th August at Nottingham,” the statement further read.
Ajinkya Rahane returned to training and had a proper net session apart from the fielding and physical training sessions at the Riverside Ground of Durham County.
Middle-order batsman Suryakumar Yadav will join the Indian team in England as a cover for Rahane along with Prithvi Shaw. But the Indian vice-captain seems to be on the path of recovery. He is likely to play the first test match at Nottingham.
Inconsistency hampering Ajinkya Rahane’s career
Ajinkya Rahane was India’s highest run-getter in the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship. He accumulated 1159 runs in 18 matches at an average of 42.92. However, he has always come under scrutiny for his inconsistency.
After his match-winning knock at Melbourne, Rahane’s career has again hit a rough patch. He has played seven matches this year and averages 21.91, scoring 263 runs including a lone fifty.
In the recent World Test Championship final, he got to a promising start, scoring 49 off 116 balls, but got out in a rather disappointing fashion. He couldn’t contribute much in the second innings as India lost the championship title. Rahane averages 29.52 in eleven matches in English conditions.
The upcoming Test series might be his final chance to return back to form.
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