Ind vs SL: KL Rahul ruled out of first Test with viral fever

India opener K L Rahul was today ruled out of the first cricket Test against Sri Lanka owing to viral fever.

The BCCI, in a release, said Rahul is on his way to recovery and has been kept out of the series opener as a precautionary measure. "The BCCI medical team confirms that opening batsman Mr. KL Rahul is presently down with viral fever. There are no major health concerns and he is making rapid progress, much to the satisfaction of the medical team," said the BCCI in the statement.

"As a precautionary measure, Mr. KL Rahul is advised further rest and hence will not be available for selection for the first Test match against Sri Lanka, which starts on July 26 at Galle," it added.  Rahul scored a fine half century in the one-off tour match in Colombo, his first competitive game in close to three months after an injury lay-off. He is now down with fever and did not travel with the team from Colombo yesterday.

He also missed today's practise session here, ruling himself out of the game beginning on Wednesday. In his absence, Shikhar Dhawan and Abhinav Mukund are likely to open for India. The team's other regular opener, Murali Vijay, too pulled out of the series at the last minute saying he had not fully recovered from a wrist injury.

After making a solid 54 against Sri Lanka Board President's XI in Moratuwa last week, Rahul had said that he was nervous about his fitness. "You know that you are physically fit and you have done everything that you can, worked really hard, you are feeling stronger, you are feeling fitter," Rahul told bcci.tv. "But the mind always tells you what if it happens again, what if you have to go through the same grind for three months, what if your shoulder is not ready, what if you (have) come back early?"