"I am still very nervous. The body is still very unsure and it keeps holding me back every time. That's the biggest challenge coming back from injury," Rahul told 'bcci.Tv'.
The 25-year-old Rahul cracked a half century in the his first outing - a two-day warm-up game against Sri Lanka Board President's XI.
He said it was tough staying away from cricket for long.
"I haven't been happier ever in my life. It has been quite a tough time to be away from cricket, to be away from the thing that you love the most.
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"It feels good to be back holding the bat and hitting the ball to the boundary."
The Karnataka batsman spoke about the times at the National Cricket Academy and his rehabilitation process.
"Watching the Champions Trophy and the loss in the final was heart-breaking but the way the boys played the whole tournament was really exciting. I was missing being part of the team. So, rehab basically for me is possibly the most boring thing you can ever do, most honestly.
Rahul has been bogged down by injuries in his brief international career, and this was the first one that required major surgery.
"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. 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 come back early?
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