The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to send Indian cricketer KL Rahul abroad for treatment, and it is likely that the opener and vice-captain will have treatment in Germany.

KL Rahul is down with a recurring groin injury and is set to miss the trip to England, where India will play as many as seven games.

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“That is correct, the board is working on his fitness and he will be going to Germany soon,” Cricbuzz quoted BCCI secretary Jay Shah as saying. Rahul is likely to fly out to Germany by the end of this month or early July.

The implication of the overseas treatment is Rahul will miss the England tour, where India are to play one Test (from July 1 to 5) and six white ball games – three Twenty20 Internationals and as many ODIs.

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He was named vice-captain under Rohit Sharma for the tour but the India selectors will have to name another deputy.

One batch of the Indian team consisting of the players for the July 1-5 Test in Edgbaston, on Thursday left for England from Mumbai and understandably Rahul was not one of them.

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The selectors, however, will have to announce a vice-captain for the tour as the chances of Rahul taking part in any of the seven games are virtually ruled out. After the Edgbaston Test, India’s white ball engagements span from July 7 and 17 with T20Is preceding the ODI series.

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The Lucknow Super Giants and Karnataka cricketer, who has played in as many as 43 Tests, 42 ODIs and 56 T20Is, has not played international cricket since February this year. He, however, managed to survive the wear and tear of the IPL.