Ravi Shastri thinks the chances of KL Rahul making it back to full fitness before the Asia Cup were very slim. The former India coach also urged against rushing players into returning to the game.
"When you are talking of a player who has not played (nearly four months) and is recovering from injury. To think of him in the playing eleven of Asia Cup, you are asking a little too much of the player,” Shastri told Star Sports in a panel discussion.
“And then you are talking [wicket] keeping when the guy has come from a knee injury, the range of movement, things like (that). That is a no, no straight.”
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Rahul and Shreyas Iyer, who also is injured, are undergoing rehabilitation at the NCA in Bengaluru. The Asia Cup starts on August 31, with India playing their first match against Pakistan on September 2 in Kandy.
The former India captain and commentator spoke of the importance of not rushing back into the game from an injury.
"You can't rush players back from injuries. You did that with Jasprit Bumrah, not once, twice but thrice and he has been out for 14 months now," Shastri said.
Shastri felt left-hander Tilak Varma would be a good option in place of Rahul in the batting order. He would like to see as many as three left-handers in the first seven, including Ravindra Jadeja.
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"There are three other positions where I think two left-handers have to come in. Now, this is where the selectors' role comes in because they are watching. They know who's the guy who's hot. If Tilak Varma is hot, bring him in. If you think (Yashasvi) Jaiswal is hot, bring him in.
"I am very impressed with Tilak and if I want a left-hander, I would look in that direction. The way he has got his runs over the last three months, whether in the IPL or for India, he has ticked all the boxes," Shastri said.
Wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan offers another lefty choice and he has Shastri’s support.
"Including Jaddu (Jadeja), there should be three left-handers in the top seven. Ishan Kishan has been keeping for the last 15 months. Why go somewhere else?
"If you have persisted with Ishan Kishan for the last six to eight months, and he's going to keep wickets, he comes in, in any case. But, get two left-handers," Shastri said.
The importance of a left-hander, Shastri said, was felt when India lost the 2019 World Cup semifinal to New Zealand. India missed a player like Shikhar Dhawan, who Shastri said does not get the credit he deserves.
"People don't give Shikhar Dhawan the credit he deserves. That guy was an amazing player. When we lost that World Cup semifinal, he was missed,” said Shastri. “A left-hander at the top of the order, as opposed to three right-handers, makes a huge difference when the ball is swinging away.”
