Still unsure about body, KL Rahul reveals ahead of the first Test

What's the story?

Indian Test opener KL Rahul has stated that he is still unsure of his body ahead the first Test against Sri Lanka at Galle that begins on Monday. Rahul played his first match in nearly four months in the warm-up game featuring the Indian Team and the Sri Lankan Board President’s XI where he smashed a 58-ball 54 before being dismissed by Vikum Sanjaya.

While speaking to bcci.tv, the Karnataka batsman said, "I am still very nervous. The body is still very unsure and it keeps holding me back every time. That's the biggest challenge coming back from injury. You know that you are physically fit and you have done everything that you can, worked really hard, you are feeling stronger, you are feeling fitter. But the mind always tells you what if it happens again, what if you have to go through the same grind for three months, what if your shoulder is not ready, what if you [have] come back early?”

The 25-year also stated that returning back to fitness was not an easy task but he managed it due to his desire to come back and play for India again. "Just wake up every morning and to do the same boring thing again and again is quite tiring and it starts to get to you," he said.

"You start questioning yourself, asking yourself if you really want to do all these boring things. You chose a sport that is exciting and challenges you every day and here you are, waking up and doing boring things.”

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In case you did not know...

KL Rahul has been in very good form for the Indian Test team and he was in terrific form during the Australia series despite injuring his shoulder during the first Test. He went on to play the entirety of the series, scoring 393 runs which was the third highest from any player from both teams.

However, his shoulder injury sidelined him from the IPL as well as the Champions Trophy where India reached the final.

The heart of the matter

Following the Australia series, Rahul took a brief hiatus from the sport to recuperate. He returned to full fitness and was named in the squad to face Sri Lanka in three Tests, the first of which commences on the upcoming Wednesday.

Rahul played in the pre-series warm-up match and was brilliant with the bat, scoring 54 from just 58 deliveries, smashing seven boundaries. India ended their first innings at 312/9 thanks to Virat Kohli’s 53 in addition to the contributions of Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, and Wriddhiman Saha, all of whom scored above 35.

Rahul has stated that his knock has put him in a very positive frame of mind following the lengthy lay-off.

What’s next?

KL Rahul and the Indian team will now be practising in full throttle as their first of three Tests begins on Galle on Monday. The home team will be looking to get a good start to the series specially with their finest fast bowler Chaminda Vaas in their coaching staff as the bowling coach.

Author’s take

It’s no surprise that KL Rahul feels this way as his international career has just begun and he had to be out of the sport for a few months. Hopefully, his fifty in the warm-up match will boost his morale and will motivate to put up a stronger performance in the first Test.