KL Rahul to join Lucknow in next two days

KL Rahul, undergoing rehab at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, will join his Indian T20 League franchise in the coming two or three days. The captain of the Lucknow side, who has been out of action since the opening test against England in January, has been cleared to partake in the T20 league. 

"He will be very much available from the first game of the season," a franchise source said. Rahul was expected to depart for Lucknow on March 20 but  in view of the pre-Ind T20 League Captains Conclave in Chennai the following day (March 21), he may join the squad a day later. Lucknow will open their campaign against Rajasthan in Jaipur on March 24. The Ind T20 League kick-starts on March 22. 

As earlier reported, the Lucknow skipper will be using the Ind T20 League as a platform to make a comeback into the T20 Internationals. Traditionally an opening batter, Rahul will be playing in the middle order along with keeping wickets during the competition. . "He will be keeping wickets from the first game itself to stake his claim in the India team for the Twenty20 World Cup," a source said.

Rahul, who consulted an expert in London to deal with nagging quadriceps pain last month, was given a green light by the NCA on Monday after he cleared his fitness test by playing a game. 

Pat Cummins arrives on Tuesday

It is believed that Pat Cummins will be linking up with his Hyderabad teammates in Hyderabad on Tuesday. The Hyderabad side has been having a camp in Hyderabad over the last few days and Cummins, the newly appointed skipper, has seeked permission from the management to join the side a tad late. 

Cummins's Australian teammate Mitchell Starc, has joined Kolkata while Bengaluru’s former skipper Virat Kohli, who missed the recently  concluded five test home series against England due to birth of his second child, has joined his franchise teammates on Monday.