Five possible replacements for KL Rahul in India’s Champions Trophy campaign

KL Rahul has become a household name in India over the last past year. Ever since he came into the limelight post his sensational performances for the RCB in the IPL. He was drafted into the limited overs squad and soon, Rahul cemented his place in the team. So who could be the possible replacements for KL Rahul in India’s Champions Trophy campaign?

However, injuries have plagued Rahul throughout his short international career and he has, once again, been sidelined due to a shoulder injury. Rahul sustained his latest injury while playing the 1^st Test against Australia in Pune but he played through the pain and scored 6 fifties in 7 innings.

Rahul was ruled out of the IPL and now, he has himself conceded that the chances of him being fit before the Champions Trophy are very very slim. He underwent surgery that needs at least 2-3 months to recover from. “I had torn my labrum. I couldn’t get into a few positions because my shoulder kept dislocating – popped out and popped back in.

That’s why I couldn’t play a lot of shots, had to restrict myself. I played with a lot of medication and taping. Surgery was to fix it on the inside’’, Rahul said while explaining the extent of his injury. While we wish Rahul a speedy recovery, here’s a look at 5 possible replacements for him in the Indian team for the Champions Trophy 2017.

5) SHIKHAR DHAWAN

Shikhar Dhawan has been in and out of the Indian team lately. He has been extremely inconsistent for the Indian team and has been given a bucket load of opportunities over the years. However, he has been dropped from all the squads since Rahul became a permanent opener for India. Dhawan has been in decent form in this IPL.

Scoring a quick 70 in his last match may have just helped him grab the selectors’ attention. He has scored 205 runs in 6 matches at a strike rate of 120 and average of 34.16 and has been unusually impressive. Hence, he may have a genuine chance of staging a comeback to the Champions Trophy squad, the same platform from where he had announced his arrival in 2013. Also, the English conditions might be suitable for Dhawan.