KL Rahul 'Trying To Forget' Injury Trails Upon Lucknow Return

image-lob3j4irKL Rahul talks about his injury period [AP Photo]

KL Rahul joked about his injury trails for a career-threatening quadriceps issue upon returning to Lucknow for the next ICC World Cup 2023 clash versus England on Sunday (October 29). 

The veteran India middle-order batter, who hurt his hamstring at the same venue in IPL 2023 and underwent surgery during a six-month sabbatical for the same, amusingly told media personnel not to remind him about his struggles. 

Rahul, who tore his hamstring while diving full-stretched to protect the boundary during Lucknow Super Giants' (LSG) league match against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on May 1, had earlier revealed the psychological impact the injury and the painstaking break took on him.

Dropped from the Test and T20I sides, the Karnataka player feared for his spot even in the 50-overs side as he entered a race against time to be fit for the World Cup 2023. Rahul had to undergo the knife and put up with extensive rehab before he returned with a memorable century versus Pakistan at the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka and hasn't looked back since. 

KL Rahul Recalls Struggles With Hamstring Injury 

"I am trying to forget; you are reminding me again and again," the cricketer said in a light word at the presser.

"I can't say that it is not in my mind. Yesterday when I came to the ground, last memory of this ground is that - falling down and injuring myself. Hopefully, I can put that aside and I can make some better and happier memories to forget all of that," he added. 

Rahul said mental toughness has been just as important as the medical rehab in his comeback as he had to believe in the process and trust things to work out eventually for him. 

From fearing the likelihood of other middle-order hopefuls overtaking him and undoing all his hardwork to actually reclaiming the difficult No.5 spot and achieving success again has been some journey for the 31-year-old. 

"I have put a lot of effort in this. I tried to address it. Outside noise for a long time, I thought it won't affect me, but in the last year or so it started affecting me. And then I realised that I will have to work on it."