IND vs AUS: After Virat Kohli, KL Rahul takes spiritual sojourn ahead of first Test in Nagpur

India's Test vice-captain, KL Rahul, has been away from action on the field, as he tied the knot with actress, Athiya Shetty. The dashing batter kicked off the year 2023 in some grand style. But talking of on the field action, the Karnataka batter has not been able to replicate his batting masterclass so far.

Meanwhile, Rahul decided to explore his spirituality in a recent move, as he visited the famous Sai Baba Mandir in Nagpur, ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Test series to be played against Australia. The series is scheduled to commence from February 9.

Talking of his recent performances, Rahul has not been among runs for the National side. He could only manage to score- 22, 23, 10, & 2, respectively, in the two Test matches against Bangladesh. Moreover, after scoring a scintilating century (123) against the Proteas, back in December 2021, the right-handed opener has only one half century to his name in the three Test matches.

Notably, the Karnataka batter's average has dropped below 35, which depicts his dismal form. Henceforth, the upcoming series is vital for his career trajectory, as many others can get a chance in his place, should he fail to find back his mojo. Albeit, with Shubman Gill in a strong contention, the 30-year-old will aim to cement his spot in the team by letting his bat do the talk.

Interestingly enough, there has also been a debate pertaining to Pant's injury and unavailability, which means the wicketkeeping role of KL Rahul could come under play. However, a BCCI official made a statement regarding the same.

“KL has had a number of injuries in the last one year or so. It’s not ideal for him to keep wickets in Tests. The test requires specialist keepers. There are two in the team in Bharat and Ishan. It’s up to the team management to decide who to pick,” a senior BCCI official was quoted as saying by InsideSport.

Virat Kohli's spiritual journey before playing a series

In the same vein, after the conclusion of the ICC T20 world cup in Australia, team India's star batter, Virat Kohli, remained away from action for some time. In November 2022, he preferred to explore his spiritual side by visiting the famous Kainchidham in Nainital, to seek the blessing of Neem Karoli baba. Furthermore, last week, as part of his meditation journey, Kohli visited Rishikesh with his wife, Anushka, to hold a 'Bhandara'- a lunch for the seers to seek their blessings as well.

Now, it will be interesting to see how this series will turn out for KL Rahul and his approach against the Aussies, when he takes the field in Nagpur.

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