Despite every effort, Shubman Gill is still unlikely to play the Guwahati Test. According to a report by a national media outlet, there is virtually no chance of the Indian Test captain taking the field. Gill has travelled with the team to Guwahati, but he won’t be playing. If he does, his neck injury may worsen. Since he is India’s captain in two formats, the team management does not want to take any risks. Gill is also expected to miss the ODI series against South Africa.
Gill injured his neck during the Eden Test and couldn’t complete his innings. At the end of Day 2, he was taken to the hospital from Eden Gardens in an ambulance. Although he travelled to Guwahati with the team, he will not play the second Test. His neck pain has reduced significantly, but he is still far from being fully fit. He is trying his best to be available for the match, but the question remains should he play even if he becomes clinically fit?
Doctors believe Gill should not take the risk of returning to action in this condition. If the injury flares up again, he could be sidelined for a longer period. The team management does not want to take that risk and has advised him to rest for at least another ten days.
If India lose the Guwahati Test, they will lose the series. Should another spin-friendly pitch be prepared, South Africa’s off-spinner Simon Harmer could once again become dangerous. Right-handed batters generally handle an off-spinner better than left-handers. With Gill unavailable, the replacement should ideally be a right-handed batter. There are several good options outside the squad like Sarfaraz Khan, Karun Nair, or Abhimanyu Easwaran all strong players of spin. But coach Gautam Gambhir reportedly does not have much faith in them.
Within the squad, players like Sai Sudharsan or Devdutt Padikkal are all left-handers, who may find Harmer tougher to face. Including someone from outside the squad could send a negative message, suggesting a lack of trust in the current bench. Therefore, if Gill doesn’t play, his close friend Sai Sudharsan may return to the XI after being dropped unexpectedly for the Eden Test.
One more point: if Gill is unavailable, Rishabh Pant will captain the side in Guwahati. His leadership during the Eden Test had already drawn several questions.
