Punjab Kings regular captain KL Rahul has undergone a successful surgery for appendicitis on Monday. As per reports in ESPN Cricinfo, it is learnt that Rahul will be eligible to join the Punjab Kings bio-bubble once he completes the required quarantine period. Rahul was flown to Mumbai in a chartered flight where he underwent laparoscopic appendectomy which is a minimally invasive surgery.
The report further suggests that the doctors have told the Punjab Kings that Rahul will be able to start his usual activities after a week’s rest. The Punjab Kings will now have to consult with the IPL committee to determine how long Rahul need to remain in quarantine and what more protocols need to be followed in order to bring back Rahul to the scheme of things.
In the lead-up to the match against the Delhi Capitals in Ahmedabad, the Punjab Kings released a statement that mentioned that Rahul has been ruled out of the game after suffering acute appendicitis. It was learnt that Rahul complained of severe abdomen pain on Saturday and had to be rushed to the hospital for a surgery. Rahul’s last appearance came against the Royal Challengers Bangalore. He scored an unbeaten 91 and played a stellar role in Punjab’s third victory of the season.
Rahul is currently the second-highest run-scorer in the competition just behind Shikhar Dhawan. Had he been able to play the previous game, he might well have held onto his Orange Cap. In Rahul’s absence, Mayank Agarwal led the Punjab Kings and scored a sensational 99 to begin his captaincy duties. However, his knock was not enough to save Punjab from the blushes as they lost by 7 wickets.
Today’s encounter between RCB and KKR had to be rescheduled after two KKR players Varun Chakravarthy and Sandeep Warrier tested positive for COVID-19. It remains to be seen whether the tournament goes on as per schedule.