KL Rahul was forced to retire hurt after being struck on the elbow during India’s match simulation at the WACA, raising concerns ahead of the first Test against Australia next week. Rahul, who had been in good touch, was hit by a rising delivery from Prasidh Krishna and did not return to bat.
In overcast conditions, India’s top-order batters faced a tough challenge against the moving ball. Shubman Gill, despite recent good form, struggled for fluency before falling for 28 to a short delivery from Navdeep Saini. Virat Kohli, amid injury speculation, looked solid but was dismissed for 15 after edging Mukesh Kumar to second slip.
Rishabh Pant, who had been working on handling the short ball, was also dismissed cheaply, bowled for 24 by Nitish Kumar Reddy. Among the positives, Yashasvi Jaiswal was the most comfortable, finishing unbeaten on 58. He looked confident against both pace and spin.
The fast bowlers, including Krishna and Mukesh, exploited the movement off the pitch, leaving India’s batters struggling. The match simulation, which lasted 75 overs, saw India end the session at 106/5 after 28 overs, with Jaiswal and Gill remaining at the crease.
With just a week before the series opener in Perth, India’s batters will need to adjust to the challenging conditions, and Rahul’s injury will be closely monitored as the team finalizes their line-up for the first Test.
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