KL Rahul to return to India after injuring himself in the nets in Australia

Cricket Desk: KL Rahul sprained his left wrist while batting in the nets at the MCG during Team India’s practice session on Saturday. The wicketkeeper-batsman will not be available for the remaining two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy as he will need about three weeks time to recover completely and regain full strength.

He will now return to India and head to the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru for further rehabilitation of his injury. The injury also puts Rahul in doubt for the four-match home Test series against England, which begins February 5.

Rahul's withdrawal adds to a growing list of absentees for India, which lost pace spearhead Mohammed Shami to an arm fracture, Umesh Yadav to a strained calf muscle and is without Virat Kohli and Ishant Sharma. India was without Rohit Sharma when it came to Australia, but the opener has rejoined the squad after his two-week quarantine and is available for selection for the third Test in Sydney.

The Indian team is currently in Sydney, where the third Test is scheduled to start from January 7. The fourth Test will be played in Brisbane from January 15. The series is currently level at 1-1.