India’s Test captain Shubman Gill, who was being treated in a Kolkata hospital following a neck spasm during the first Test against South Africa, has been released. The improvement notwithstanding, Gill’s participation in the second Test, starting in Guwahati on Saturday, remains uncertain.
Training Participation Unlikely Before Team’s Departure
India are due to train in Kolkata on Tuesday morning, but Shubman Gill is unlikely to join this session. The squad will fly to Guwahati on Wednesday, but commercial travel is usually avoided for players recovering from neck injuries. That makes it unlikely Gill will take the same flight as the rest of the squad.
Gambhir: Gill Still Under Assessment
Head coach Gautam Gambhir said that Shubman Gill is “still being assessed,” with further evaluation to be performed by the physio and support staff.
The absence of Gill was sorely felt as India succumbed to a low-scoring defeat, getting bowled out for 93 chasing 124. Playing effectively one batter short complicated the fourth-innings chase.
Gambhir underscored the challenge:
“We always knew we were one down. Without Shubman and then losing two wickets before lunch, we were effectively three down. One or two steady partnerships could have kept us in the game.”
Sudharsan and Padikkal in Line as Possible Replacements
If Shubman Gill is ruled out of the Guwahati Test, India may look to left-hand batters B Sai Sudharsan or Devdutt Padikkal.
While Sudharsan was impressive with scores of 87 and 39 against West Indies, he struggled against South Africa A, managing a highest of 32 in four innings.
Padikkal, who has one Test each against Australia and England, had three single-digit scores and a 24 against South Africa A.
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Both selections would add to India’s already left-heavy batting order, which included six left-handers in the Kolkata Test and could swell to seven if there is only one change for Guwahati. Offspinner Simon Harmer exploited this weakness, dismissing six left-handers in Kolkata.
Gill’s injury adds to growing workload concerns
Shubman Gill, who retired hurt in the first innings off just three deliveries, was taken to the hospital. Later, the BCCI confirmed that he would play no further part in the match.
This is not the first time Gill has dealt with this issue, missing a Test against New Zealand in October 2024 due to a similar neck spasm. The setback also comes at a time when the young captain has been going through a very busy period. Gill has played across formats without much rest since IPL 2025 and was also one of the few players who came to Kolkata directly from Australia after the T20I series.
Will Gill Be Fit in Time? India wait for clarity on Shubman Gill’s recovery timeline, whose presence at the top order is crucial for them. The team will want to have encouraging medical updates before the Guwahati Test. For now, doubt lingers on whether or not the captain would be fit enough to lead and bat in the second Test.
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