We anticipate receiving updates on KL Rahul’s health and when he might be ready to play.

We can expect to have a better idea about when KL Rahul will be able to play by the end of this week or the beginning of next week. He’s set to take part in a practice game in Bengaluru. It’s also possible that he could play in a few matches before they decide if he’s fully prepared to make a return to international cricket.

Right now, we can say that Rahul isn’t completely fit. The National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru hasn’t officially given the green light to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the national selection committee. Even though some reports and signs might say differently, the official communication hasn’t happened yet.

Yet, this doesn’t automatically mean he won’t get approval before the selection committee meeting, whether that happens later this week or in the following week. The crucial factor for his comeback relies on the evaluation of the NCA specialists regarding how he handles the challenges of batting and wicket-keeping.

People close to him have stated that Rahul, who had thigh surgery in May due to a torn ligament during an IPL match, has been able to handle around 85 percent of the necessary training. This number is important because the remaining 15 percent must be shown in a real match situation. Normally, players can’t play in practice matches until they’ve reached this 85 percent goal. Additionally, the NCA has a rule that they won’t give full approval unless a player joins a match and comes back without getting hurt. Whether this rule was followed in Jasprit Bumrah’s case might be a relevant question, but that particular bowler’s situation is different.

Talking about Rahul, it’s understood that the selectors, considering how the Indian batters have been playing in white-ball cricket lately, see his experience as valuable for the Asia Cup. He’s been part of international cricket for almost 10 years, so they’re looking at him for the tournament from August 30 to September 17, as well as the World Cup in October and November. But, sources suggest that he has to show complete fitness in both batting and wicket-keeping during a 50-over game before they think about choosing him. How his body responds the next day will also matter.

Other difficult choices in selecting the team

Apart from Rahul, the selectors have challenges in other areas too. When Ajit Agarkar & Co gather, their job won’t be simple. Some players might not make it, not because they aren’t good enough, but because there’s limited space in a 15-player group.

The suggested squad makeup is seven specialist batsmen, seven specialist bowlers, and one all-rounder, who is Hardik Pandya. Among these seven bowlers, the current idea is to have four fast bowlers and three spinners. But, this might mean no place for Shardul Thakur, the all-rounder who has done well to keep his spot

Choosing Thakur means we might have to let go of one specialist fast bowler, which could lead to excluding someone like Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar, Prasidh Krishna, or Jaydev Unadkat. This decision could happen. The definite fast bowling choices are Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, and Jasprit Bumrah, unless something unexpected happens in the upcoming three T20 matches in Ireland later this month. Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav seem certain, while Axar Patel and Yuzvendra Chahal are competing for the third spinner’s spot. It won’t be easy, but we might have to leave one of them out.

More than the bowling, there’s concern about batting, which makes everyone eager for Rahul’s comeback. Other than Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Shubman Gill, who are almost certain to be chosen, there aren’t many other batters that give confidence. Ishan Kishan might make the list, but Sanju Samson hasn’t performed as expected in the ODIs. Even though Suryakumar Yadav is dynamic, he himself admits to struggling in the 50-over format. While Tilak Varma has shown potential in international cricket, some think it might be too early to bring him into ODIs. In short, Agarkar & Co will have many bowling options but fewer choices in the batting department.