Set to make a comeback after a long injury break, Indian star KL Rahul donned the wicket-keeping gloves in his team's practice session at R Premadasa Stadium on Friday. Rahul, who last played for India in March 2023, missed out on being part of the Playing XI for the first two Asia Cup matches as he continued to recover from a fresh niggle. But as he has now joined the Indian squad, back-up player Sanju Samson has been sent home.
Rahul trained with the wicket-keeping gloves in India's first outdoor session at Premadasa. The 31-year-old went through various match scenarios with the gloves behind the wicket. He kept the wickets for 45 minutes and also did a wicket-keeping simulation. Rahul first stood behind the wickets as two support staff members displayed the batter and bowler's duty to help him with the simulation. He was seen collecting the ball outside the off-stump and crouching without much discomfort.
The Karnataka star was also seen collecting the ball outside the leg stump and practicing stumping duties. He also kept wickets against a left-hander when Kuldeep Yadav was called into bat. However, the team management will have to make a tough call between Rahul and Kishan, considering the latter's rise in recent times.
Meanwhile, according to a report by PTI, backup wicket-keeper Sanju Samson was sent back home from Sri Lanka. Samson was the backup of Rahul and Kishan as he seemed to fall behind the pecking order in the wicket-keeper's role. The Rajasthan Royals skipper did not get to enter the main squad and was only the traveling reserve. The decision to send Samson to India was taken after Rahul joined the Indian squad in Sri Lanka.
