SL vs IND: KL Rahul ruled out of opening Test at Galle due to high fever

Rahul reportedly missed team training on Monday and is unlikely to be fit for the match starting July 26.

New Delhi: KL Rahul's hopes of making a strong comeback in Team India's Test squad dealt a major blow after the opener was down with high fever ahead of the tour's opening game at Galle.

Rahul reportedly missed team training on Monday and was later ruled out of contention for the match starting July 26.

As per the reports, Rahul had to stay back in Colombo for observation because of high fever even though the rest of the squad travelled South on Sunday.

As per ESPNcricinfo, an Indian team's spokesperson said the tests were all negative, and that Rahul was expected to join the squad later on Monday.

Lokesh Rahul had earlier admitted to being nervous whilst playing for India after a long absence owing to injury.

"I am still very nervous. The body is still very unsure and it keeps holding me back every time. That's the biggest challenge coming back from injury," Rahul told 'bcci.tv'.

The 25-year-old Rahul cracked a half century in his first outing - a two-day warm-up game against Sri Lanka Board President's XI.

He said it was tough staying away from cricket for long.

"I haven't been happier ever in my life. It has been quite a tough time to be away from cricket, to be away from the thing that you love the most.

"To just sit at home and watch the boys playing, it was really hard for me. It did make me a lot stronger, made me value my life, my opportunities and here I am, back in.

"It feels good to be back holding the bat and hitting the ball to the boundary."

The Karnataka batsman had just come out of a four-month long break after he injured his shoulder during the four-match series against Australia.

He then underwent surgery, subsequently missing the 2017 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the Champions Trophy.

On his comeback, Rahul scored a quick fifty in the two-day warm-up match in Moratuwa, but he said he was nervous making his comeback after such a long lay-off.

Earlier, opener Murali Vijay, who had suffered a wrist injury during Australia's tour of India, complained of pain in his right wrist, while playing a preparatory match and was eventually ruled out of the Test series. He has been replaced by Shikhar Dhawan.

The right-handed opener had missed only one match against Australia out of India's long home season of 13 Tests and had later revealed he had been playing with a fractured wrist.

Dhawan, who is a regular in the Indian ODI side, last played a Test for India in 2016 against New Zealand.

The left-handed opener has so far played 23 Tests and averages 38.52. He scored 1464 runs, which included four centuries.

India: Virat Kohli (captain), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (vice captain), Rohit Sharma, R Ashwin, R Jadeja, W Saha (wk), Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, M Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Abhinav Mukund.

(With Agencies inputs)