IPL 2023: 'Will undergo thigh surgery shortly' - KL Rahul rules himself out of IPL 2023 and WTC final

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KL Rahul has ruled himself out of the IPL 2023 and the upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia at The Oval in London from June 7. In an Instagram post on Friday, the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) said he would be undergoing a thigh surgery soon.

Rahul injured himself while fielding in the May 1 match against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow. He was seen wincing in pain before being taken out of the field.

The right-hander did not come to bat until the hosts were reduced to 103/9 while chasing 127. He faced three balls without scoring a run as the team lost by 18 runs.

"After careful consideration and consultation with the medical team, it's been concluded that I'll be undergoing a surgery on my thigh shortly. My focus will be on my rehabilitation and recovery in the coming weeks.

"It's a tough call to make, but I know it's the right one to ensure a full recovery," Rahul wrote in his Instagram post.

"As the team captain, it pains me deeply not to be able to be there during this crucial period. But, I'm confident that the boys will rise to the occasion and give their best performance as always. I'll be cheering for them from the sidelines with all of you, watching every game.

"Absolutely gutted that I won't be at the Oval next month with Team India. I'll do everything I can to get back in blue and help my country. That has always been my focus and priority.

"I want to express gratitude to each one of you - my fans, that gave me the strength to get back up, the LSG management and the BCCI for their promptness, and my teammates for their unwavering support during this difficult time.

"Your encouragement and messages mean a lot to me and motivate me to come back stronger and fitter than ever before.

"Meanwhile, I promise to keep you all updated on my progress, and hope to be back on the field sooner than soon. The last few days have been really hard, but I'm determined to come out on top.

"Injuries are never easy, but I'll give it my all as always. Thank you for all the support and good wishes," he added.

Notably, Rahul had a surgery for sports hernia in Germany last year and it is understood that all factors are being taken into consideration.

Krunal Pandya has started to lead LSG in Rahul's absence and the BCCI could soon take a call on Rahul's replacement for the WTC final. Ishan Kishan, who was the second-choice wicketkeeper in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy this year, could possibly replace the Karnataka star.