The BCCI has now declared that India captain Shubman Gill will miss the second Test and the decisive one against South Africa less than a day after the BCCI issued a cautiously optimistic medical statement concerning the fitness of the young opener. The neck injury sustained by Gill in the first Test at Kolkata has forced him out after thorough medical examinations ahead of the game at Guwahati.
This had happened early in the start of the first innings in India, when Shubman Gill was trying the sweep shot and he hit a boundary with the third ball he received. A few seconds later he was observed holding his neck and grimacing in pain. He had taken a hurt retirement, and had no further share in the innings. He was later taken to a hospital in Kolkata to get precautionary scans forcing India to rethink the plans in both sides. He was also absent when India was on the hunt to reach the 124 run target, which cast doubts on whether he will be available to play the rest of the series.
Despite the BCCI confirming that Gill had reacted favorably to initial treatment and had been given the green light to travel with the squad to Guwahati on November 19, follow-up assessments declared him to be unable to take part in the fateful Test. Gill was seen in the airport without a neck support, but medical experts recommended him to be careful, thus he withdrew out of that match.
Vice-captain and wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant will take over in his absence, and it will be a highlight in his development as a leader. Pant already led the team briefly when Gill was away on the Kolkata Test. The opener, who is a left-handed top-order batter, was reportedly sidelined, and in his place, Sai Sudharsan, a left-hand top-order batter, is set to take the starting XI, according to The Indian Express reports.
The second Test, which commences on Saturday, has an added interest to it since India seeks to win the series with Pant in the helm. The injury to Gill is a blow to the team yet there is optimism in the team owing to encouraging reinforcements.
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