India Face Potential Setback Ahead of 2nd IND vs SA Test Spot: The Indian cricket team might be heading into the must-win second Test against South Africa with a major concern. Captain Shubman Gill’s availability has come into serious doubt after he picked up a neck injury during the first Test in Kolkata. He couldn’t bat in the second innings, and India ended up falling short of a 124-run chase.
According to a report by India Today, all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy has been added to the squad as backup for Gill. India will take on South Africa in the second Test starting November 22 at Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati.
Nitish Reddy Called Up as Gill’s Participation Looks Unlikely
With Gill unlikely to feature in the upcoming Test, Nitish Reddy has been pulled out of the ongoing India A series against South Africa A in Rajkot.
BCCI sources, quoted by news agency PTI, have said that Gill will still travel with the team to Guwahati. However, because of the stiffness in his neck, the chances of him playing look slim.
If Gill is unable to join the squad in Guwahati, he will head from Kolkata to the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. At the moment, there are no travel restrictions on him.
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Travel and Scheduling Concerns for Nitish Reddy
For Nitish Reddy, the situation was also a matter of timing. The final List A match of the India A series is set for Wednesday, but the Andhra all-rounder reached Kolkata on Monday evening and skipped the net session that day.
It would have been tough for him to play in Rajkot on Wednesday night and then immediately fly to Guwahati, which likely would have caused him to miss India’s first practice session. The team management did not want to take that risk.
Nitish Reddy in Contention for Playing XI
Nitish Reddy already has a Test century to his name, and as a right-handed batter who can also contribute with the ball, he could be a strong contender for a spot in the playing XI in Guwahati.
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