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Injuries keep Rahul, Axar out of Windies T20I series

February 11, 2022 19:10 IST

Axar Patel

IMAGE: Young spinner Axar Patel hasn’t recovered fully from the shin injury that forced him to miss the South Africa tour and just resumed the final stage of his rehabilitation after recently recovering from Covid-19. Photograph: BCCI

India vice-captain K L Rahul and all-rounder Axar Patel have been ruled out of the three-match T20 International series against the West Indies, due to injuries.

Ruturaj Gaikwad and Deepak Hooda will replace them in the squad.

 

Rahul suffered a hamstring injury when fielding in the second ODI on February 9, while Axar hasn’t recovered fully from the shin injury that forced him to miss the South Africa tour.

The spinner also recently tested positive for COVID.

"Rahul sustained an upper left hamstring strain during fielding in the 2nd ODI on 9th February 2022 while Axar has resumed the final stage of his rehabilitation after recently recovering from Covid-19. They will now head to the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru for further management of their injury," read a statement from the BCCI on Friday.

"The All-India Senior Selection Committee has named Ruturaj Gaikwad and Deepak Hooda as replacements," it added.

Both Gaikwad and Hooda are also part of the squad for the ongoing ODI series against the Caribbean side in Ahmedabad.

Rahul and Axar's fitness issues have also raised questions over their availability for the home series against Sri Lanka, starting February 25.

Rahul missed the first ODI to personal commitments before returning for the second.

India's T20I squad: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Surya Kumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi, Yuzvendra Chahal, Washington Sundar, Mohd. Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Deepak Hooda.