Injured KL Rahul doubtful for Champions Trophy
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KL Rahul has admitted that his shoulder injury has reduced his chances of participating in the Champions Trophy in England and Wales in June. The Karnataka opener sustained the injury during the opening Test against Australia and returned on Saturday after undergoing surgery in England on April 10.
The surgery was performed by
After sustaining the injury in the first Test, Rahul played the remainder of the Australia series in pain but finished as the second highest run-scorer for India with 393 runs from seven innings.
"I have to wait and see but the chances are slim," the opener told Cricbuzz while speaking about the Champions Trophy.
About his injury, 25-year-old Rahul said, "I had torn my labrum (a ring of fibrocartilage attached to the shoulder socket). I couldn't get into a few positions because my shoulder kept dislocating. That's why I couldn't play a lot of shots and had to restrict myself. I played with a lot of medication and taping.
"It is a sports injury but the doctor was surprised it happened because of batting. It mostly happens in contact sports where people run into you. The physio (Patrick Farhart) was surprised because there was no such major incident. It was that moment in Pune when I played a shot - not the one I got out to, but the one that went for six (he lofted Steve O'Keefe down the ground). That's when I knew that my shoulder dislocated and went back in. I got out playing the same shot, so by
"The doctor said it will take 2-3 months. Each body is different, so you don't know how it recovers. It is totally up to me and how I well I take care of myself in the rehab phase. For now, it is 2-3 weeks of relaxing and after that, I will start physiotherapy. My rehab will start from there."
This is not the first time, though, that Rahul is sidelined by injury in his international career.
"It is frustrating for a young man who is new to international cricket - it's been two-and-a-half years now. I've already been injured twice or thrice. It makes me think about what I am doing wrong.
"I can't see any reason why I keep getting injured because I am disciplined with my fitness and my diet and I look after my body. Now is the time to see what I can change in training. To be injury-free is wishful thinking for a sportsman. To be fit and minimize injuries will be my goal once I get back."
