KL Rahul’s injury scare added to India’s batting struggles during an intra-squad match simulation at the WACA, ahead of their first Test against Australia. Rahul was struck on the elbow by a rising delivery from Prasidh Krishna and left the field for medical attention, raising concerns for his fitness. He had been in good form and appeared comfortable handling short-pitched bowling before the injury. Rahul had opened alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal, with speculation that he could step in for Rohit Sharma if the captain misses the series opener.
The simulation lasted two and a half hours, with India’s top-order batters facing a barrage of deliveries, including some from local quicks aimed at simulating short-pitched bowling. Jaiswal started aggressively but was dismissed for 15 after nicking a delivery to second slip. Virat Kohli, who had recently undergone scans, seemed to have no fitness issues and played some elegant shots. However, he was dismissed for 15, caught behind off a delivery from Mukesh Kumar.
India’s batting struggles continued with Rishabh Pant, who had struggled against the short ball in previous net sessions. He struck a boundary early on but was later hit in the groin and bowled out by Nitish Kumar Reddy. Shubman Gill, batting at No. 3, had a slow start before falling for 28, caught in the gully off Navdeep Saini.
As the simulation progressed, spinners Washington Sundar and Tanush Kotian bowled in tandem, with India at 106 for 5 after 28 overs. Despite the challenging conditions, the Indian batters faced a tough test against the WACA’s pace and movement.
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