India captain Shubman Gill, who has been affected by a neck spasm in the first Test against South Africa at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, has been excluded in the second and final Test in Guwahati. The 26 year old opener who had travelled with the team earlier this week hoping he would prove his fitness officially left the squad a day before the match. Gill is back to Mumbai now to rest and provide more medical check-up.
In the official statement released by the BCCI on Friday afternoon, Shubman Gill was said to have had the neck injury on Day 2 of the Kolkata Test and was rushed to the medical examination at the end of the play. He was admitted in a night and released the next day. Although he joined the team in Guwahati on November 19 to determine his fitness, the medical staff considered him unfit to join the team.
Sadly, he was not in a good physical shape to participate in the 2nd Test and will go to Mumbai to undergo additional examination of his injury.
In the absence of Gill, wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant will act as the stand-in captain of India to play the vital game. India are trailing by 0-1 in the two-match series and they need to win at Guwahati to prevent a rare home series defeat.
Pant, in an interview to the media on the eve of the Test, disclosed that Gill was adamant to play although not comfortable. “He is doing fine. He is getting better. Shubman was eager to have the match, although he was not able to due to his body. He would like to be a big man in the group. He was a front leader, said Pant.
The management of the team has already found a substitute to Gill with Pant asserting that the final XI will be announced before the toss. During the first Test, Gill was only deliveried three times during the opening innings.
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