Former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) chief Sourav Ganguly on Friday said that it's up to Indian cricket coach Rahul Dravid to decide the player who will come in to replace Indian wicketkeeping batter KL Rahul for the World Test Championship 2023 final. KL Rahul took to his Instagram handle to announce that he has been ruled out of the upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia and the remainder of the Indian Premier League (IPL) due to an injury. Rahul was a part of the 15-man Indian Test squad that BCCI announced on April 25.
Ganguly suggested that Rahane is there in the squad but in the end, it's up to Dravid to decide the best available option. "It's for Rahul Dravid to decide, Rahane is there," Ganguly told mediapersons.
While sharing an update about his injury on Instagram, Rahul confirmed that he is set to undergo surgery on his thigh, which will rule him out for the World Test Championship final against Australia on 7 June at The Oval.
"Update - After careful consideration and consultation with the medical team, it's been concluded that I'll be undergoing surgery on my thigh shortly. My focus will be on my rehabilitation and recovery in the coming weeks. It's a tough call to make, but I know it's the right one to ensure a full recovery. As the team captain, it pains me deeply not to be able to be there during this crucial period. But, I'm confident that the boys will rise to the occasion and give their best performance as always. I'll be cheering for them from the sidelines with all of you, watching every game. @lucknowsupergiants," Rahul said.
"Absolutely gutted that I won't be at the Oval next month with Team India. I'll do everything I can to get back in blue and help my country. That has always been my focus and priority. @indiancricketteam. I want to express gratitude to each one of you - my fans, that gave me the strength to get back up, the LSG management and the BCCI for their promptness, and my teammates for their unwavering support during this difficult time. Your encouragement and messages mean a lot to me and motivate me to come back stronger and fitter than ever before," he added."Meanwhile, I promise to keep you all updated on my progress and hope to be back on the field sooner than soon. The last few days have been really hard, but I'm determined to come out on top. Injuries are never easy, but I'll give it my all as always. Thank you for all the support and good wishes," he added.
The LSG captain sustained the injury in the match against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on May 1. Chasing a ball in the outfield in the second over, he clutched at his thigh and then limped off the field.