Overview
- The India ODI vice-captain batted for about an hour in Mumbai on December 24 without discomfort in his first session since the October injury.
- He has reported to the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru for four to six days of medical testing and structured rehabilitation.
- Early post-injury scans and regular gym work have shown no red flags, but any return depends on the CoE assessment.
- A serious abdominal injury in Sydney, including a spleen laceration that required ICU care, forced him to miss the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the South Africa ODIs.
- A late Vijay Hazare Trophy appearance is being explored, and selection for the New Zealand ODIs starting January 11 is considered touch-and-go with the squad expected around January 2–3.