31 March,2017 07:03 PM IST | | mid-day online correspondent
India Test regulars Ravichandran Ashwin, Lokesh Rahul and Murali Vijay will reportedly miss the tenth edition of the IPL due to injuries. Ravindra Jadeja and Umesh Yadav may also miss the initial stages
Ravichandran Ashwin
New Delhi: India Test regulars Ravichandran Ashwin, Lokesh Rahul and Murali Vijay, who represent Rising Pune Supergiant, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kings XI Punjab respectively, will reportedly miss the tenth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) due to injuries.
According to a report in Wisden India, that Ashwin, Vijay and Rahul, will miss the tournament.
Ravindra Jadeja, who was man of the series in the just concluded Test series against Australia and fast bowler Umesh Yadav may also give the initial stages of the T20 league a miss.
Murali Vijay
"Yes I have been ruled out of the IPL, don't want to get into the details at this point. You will get an official word from the Royal Challengers Bangalore," Rahul, who plays for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), told CricketNext.com.
Rahul is expected to go to London soon to undergo surgery.
Rahul first injured his shoulder during the Test series against England, not fully recovering while playing in the series against Australia.
India and RCB skipper Virat Kohli will also miss the initial matches of the cash-rich league after he picked up a shoulder injury during the third Test in Ranchi.
Rising Pune Supergiant star Ashwin will miss the upcoming season owing to a sports hernia, as per reports. Ashwin, who underwent scans in Mumbai following the four-match Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia, is likely to be ruled out for six-eight weeks.
The all-rounder, however, is expected to be back for the ICC Champions Trophy in the summer.
KL Rahul
Vijay, who had missed the Bengaluru Test against Australia owing to a shoulder injury, is likely to sit out the tournament.
All these international cricketers joining the casualty list comes on the back of a long home season that saw the Indian team play 13 Test matches along with limited overs cricket.
There were unconfirmed reports that Bangladesh's left-arm 'cutter master' Mustafizur Rahaman, who was instrumental in Sunrisers Hyderabad's IPL triumph, may also skip the cash-rich event.
There were also reports that the Indian team management had a discussion with IPL authorities and accordingly the BCCI is trying to ensure that the players don't get jaded by the time Champions Trophy starts where Kohli's boys will be defending the title they won in 2013.
IPL kicks off with RCB taking on defending champions Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 5.
(With Agency Inputs)
