KL Rahul is not touring West Indies, having contracted COVID-19. Having missed out on the ODIs, he is also likely to miss the T20Is of the tour.
Indian wicketkeeper-opener KL Rahul has been out of action for the past couple of months due to injury. His comeback was delayed after he contracted COVID-19. As a result, he is currently not with Team India on the tour of the West Indies. While he has already missed out on the ongoing One-Day International (ODI) series, he will miss out on the Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is). According to ESPNCricinfo, Rahul's one-week isolation concludes on Wednesday. However, he has been advised a week-long rest and recovery by the medical team of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) before he begins his intensive training and practice sessions.
Rahul underwent surgery for a hernia last month in Munich and has since been rehabilitated at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. While even if he recovered from COVID with a couple of negative tests, he was always doubtful about the T20Is. Although he was in the fray for the United States of America (USA) leg of the T20Is against the Windies on August 6-7, depending on his cardiovascular tests, he is unlikely to make it. He would likely focus on the ODIs in Zimbabwe next month.
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The Zimbabwe ODIs would conclude a week before the Aisa Cup T20 that would run between August 27 and September 11 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), being hosted by Sri Lanka. Due to Rahul's absence, fellow wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant could get an extra shot as an opener, while wicketkeeper-opener Ishan Kishan is another good option.
Rahul is yet to play competitive cricket since the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. While in the Indian squad for the home T20Is against South Africa, he suffered a groin injury before the opening game, ruling him out of the series and the England tour that followed.