Mumbai : Ajinkya Rahane has suffered a serious Grade III hamstring injury which is set to rule him out of the India tour of England in June-July.
The former India captain and vice-captain has already lost his place in the India Test XI, Hanuma Vihari and Shreyas Iyer having usurped Cheteshwar Pujara and his positions, but the latest setback could even rule him out for a place in the touring party.
The Indian team, expected to be selected in a week’s time, will leave for England around June 16.
Rahane exited the Kolkata Knight Riders bubble on Monday evening.
He suffered the injury during KKR’s last game, against Sunrisers Hyderabad, on May 14 and was not seen fielding during the game at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune.
Sources within the Board of Control for Cricket in India said he will be reporting at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore where he may need more than four weeks of rehab. In seven games this IPL, Rahane has scored 133 runs, not exactly the number he would be pleased with.
The unavailability of Rahane may not be as much a headache as the cobbling together a squad, rather squads, for the selectors.