Ind vs Aus 2023: After Virat Kohli, Newly-Married KL Rahul Turns Spiritual Before Border Gavaskar Trophy

Team India vice-captain KL Rahul is making a comeback for the four-match Test series against Australia beginning on Thursday (February 9) with the first Test after missing the limited-overs series against New Zealand to get married to Bollywood star Athiya Shetty. Rahul, who has already reached Nagpur for the first Test and begun training with the rest of Team India members, turned spiritual like his former skipper Virat Kohli.

Ahead of the Test series, Rahul, who has been struggling for form after a forgettable series against Bangladesh, turned to spiritual help like Kohli. Rahul visited the famous Sai Baba Mandir in Nagpur ahead of the series.

Kohli along with his Bollywood star wife Anushka Sharma and daughter Vamika headed off for a vacation as well recently which included a spiritual trip to Swami Dayanand Giri Ashram in Rishikesh.

With Rishabh Pant ruled out of the Test series against Australia, there was speculation that KL Rahul could be asked to keep wickets. However, it seems likely that either Ishan Kishan or KS Bharat – both specialist wicketkeepers – will be taking up the gloves.

"KL has had a number of injuries in the last one year or so. It's not ideal for him to keep wickets in Tests. The test requires specialist keepers. There are two in the team in Bharat and Ishan. It's up to the team management to decide who to pick," a senior BCCI official was quoted as saying by InsideSport website.

Meanwhile, former Australia wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist feels Australia will play all-rounder Cameron Green as a pure batter at the number six spot in the first Test against India beginning on Thursday. The 23-year-old is recovering from a surgery on the index finger of his right hand, which he had broken during the Boxing Day Test against South Africa last December.

Australia coach Andrew McDonald has already confirmed that Green is currently unable to bowl. "Such is the way of this psyche of the selectors and this team, I think they'll start with Green at six, assuming he's fully fit and not hindered by that finger injury at all," Gilchrist told 'Sen Radio'.

"I think that's the nature of this group, they're pretty trusting of each other and really keen to back each other in every situation."

Green, who has played 18 Tests, has an average of 35.04 with the bat and impressed in the three innings in Sri Lanka last year. He has also taken 23 wickets with his seam bowling, with 5/27 as his best so far.