Even as the deadline for the World Cup squad announcement comes near, team India is looking far from settled at the moment. Injuries to players like KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer and Jasprit Bumrah has kept bereft of fielding the strongest playing XI for quite some time. At least Bumrah and Rahul are expected to return for the upcoming Asia Cup while Iyer is expected to take more time to get to full fitness.
Meanwhile, PTI has reported that KL Rahul might have to do 50-over simulation to prove his fitness before the Asia Cup. India's squad for Asia Cup and World Cup is more or less ikely to be the same but a lot depends on injury recovery of Rahul and Iyer both. The former's recovery, batting and keeping videos are doing the rounds of social media and it seems that he is well on the way to recovery.
But Rahul's match fitness is something that won't be tested unless he takes the field in the game against Pakistan. For the same reason, he needs to do 50-over match simulation before the Asia Cup to prove his fitness. "The selectors and the team management wants to give both Rahul and Shreyas full chance of recovery. Rahul is certainly way ahead in terms of recovery and getting closer to full match fitness. But he needs to do match simulation where he is able to keep wickets for 50 overs.
"The Instagram videos show that he is doing well but 50 overs of keeping and at least 30 overs of batting in the heat will prove how his operated thigh is holding up in humid conditions. If he is able to do well over next nine possible games (six if India play the Asia Cup final plus three against Australia), it will be the best news for the Indian team," BCCI source told PTI. Meanwhile, it is understood that the squad for the Asia Cup will be picked by August 16 or 17.
