Asia Cup 2023: KL Rahul bats during indoor nets session in Colombo ahead of India vs Pakistan match

A couple of days after joining the Team India camp in Colombo on Tuesday, KL Rahul got down to his first session in the training nets, taking part in an indoor session at the Nondescripts Cricket Club on Thursday.

According to a report in ESPNCricinfo, there was heavy rain in Colombo that forced India to train indoors. Rahul, along with Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill and others trained with head coach Rahul Dravid and batting coach Vikram Rathour closely watching them.

Rahul began with throwdowns, and was involved in batting practice, rotating with Shreyas Iyer. According to the report, Rahul looked comfortable and used his foot well, playing the punch and cover drives pretty well.

Happiest in blue pic.twitter.com/hqERO5664E

— K L Rahul (@klrahul) September 7, 2023

During an IPL match against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) earlier this year, Rahul had sustained a thigh injury while fielding. He underwent surgery, and after a rehabilitation process at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru, Rahul was named in India’s Asia Cup squad. However, he missed the group games against Pakistan and Nepal due to a niggle.

“KL is looking good. We feel this gives us the best balance to try and do well,” Ajit Agarkar, BCCI chief selector, had said this week.

“With KL, he was part of the camp in Bangalore. He looked really good there and has got over his niggle. He played a couple of games over the last two days. I think he kept for 50 overs and batted for around 50 overs too. So he looks good and we’re happy to have him,” he had added.

Rahul then did a couple of more sessions of throwdowns, and went on a few sprints in the nets. However, he did not undergo any wicketkeping practice.

Rahul, however, faces tough competition against Ishan Kishan to feature in the playing XI. Kishan scored three fifties against west Indies recently, while also scoring 82 against Pakistan recently.

Apart from Rahul, Shubman Gill also faced throwdowns from Nuwan Seneviratne, the report added.

India finished second in Group A behind Pakistan. The two rivals will meet again in the Super Fours in Colombo on Sunday (10 September), before India face Sri Lanka (12 September) and Bangladesh (15 September).

The Asia Cup final will take place in Colombo on 17 September.