Lucknow Super Giants announce Karun Nair as replacement for injured KL Rahul

IPL released a media advisory which said, "KL Rahul ruled out of TATA IPL 2023 due to injury, Karun Nair to replace him at Lucknow Super Giants

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Friday named Karun Nair as a replacement for the injured KL Rahul for the remainder of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023.

Rahul sustained an injury while fielding during Match 43 of TATA IPL 2023 against Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow.

Karun Nair, who replaces Rahul at LSG, has so far played 76 IPL games and has 1496 runs in his name. He will join LSG for INR 50 Lakh."

KL Rahul announced his unavailability for the rest of the season with an Instagram post. The batter also confirmed that he is set to undergo surgery on his thigh, which will rule him out for the World Test Championship finale against Australia on 7 June at The Oval.

"Update - After careful consideration and consultation with the medical team, it's been concluded that I'll be undergoing a surgery on my thigh shortly. My focus will be on my rehabilitation and recovery in the coming weeks. It's a tough call to make, but I know it's the right one to ensure a full recovery. As the team captain, it pains me deeply not to be able to be there during this crucial period. But, I'm confident that the boys will rise to the occasion and give their best performance as always. I'll be cheering for them from the sidelines with all of you, watching every game. @lucknowsupergiants," Rahul said.

"Absolutely gutted that I won't be at the Oval next month with Team India. I'll do everything I can to get back in blue and help my country. That has always been my focus and priority. @indiancricketteam. I want to express gratitude to each one of you - my fans, that gave me the strength to get back up, the LSG management and the BCCI for their promptness, and my teammates for their unwavering support during this difficult time. Your encouragement and messages mean a lot to me and motivate me to come back stronger and fitter than ever before," he added.

"Meanwhile, I promise to keep you all updated on my progress and hope to be back on the field sooner than soon. The last few days have been really hard, but I'm determined to come out on top. Injuries are never easy, but I'll give it my all as always. Thank you for all the support and good wishes," read the caption on KL Rahul's Instagram post.

The LSG captain sustained the injury in the match against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on May 1. Chasing a ball in the outfield in the second over, he clutched at his thigh and then limped off the field.

The way Rahul pulled up at the boundary made it clear that it was a serious injury. He immediately slumped on the field and was attended to by emergency personnel. (ANI)