Ahead of the second and final Test against the South Africa national cricket team starting from November 22 in Guwahati, the Indian national cricket team received worrying news regarding Shubman Gill.
Shubman Gill is suffering from a serious neck injury due to which he may be ruled out of the Guwahati Test. The Indian captain got injured on his neck while playing a sweep shot on the second day of the first Test in Kolkata. He had to be immediately taken off the field and taken to the hospital.
Doubt looms over Guwahati Test due to Shubman Gill’s neck injury
At the hospital, Gill was kept in the ICU as a precautionary measure and was examined by a six-member expert panel including neurosurgeons, neurologists and critical-care specialists. After careful monitoring, Gill has now been discharged, but he is still in a cervical collar.
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However, the Indian batting star is under close medical observation and will have to tread carefully to avoid any strain on his neck, which would jeopardize his participation in the Guwahati Test.
Only a miracle can save Shubman Gill’s hopes of playing the Guwahati Test.
Meanwhile, a report by RevSportz has revealed that medical experts have strongly advised Shubman Gill not to travel, warning that flying could worsen his neck injury and lead to long-term complications. Gill has been advised to take complete rest for 3 to 4 days.
Despite this, the Indian captain is expected to join the Indian cricket team in Guwahati, not as a player, but to boost team morale and provide leadership from the sidelines.
With India trailing 0-1 in the ongoing two-match Test series against South Africa, Gill is determined to push himself further but his chances of taking the field in the final Test are extremely slim. Only a medical miracle can allow him to play and doctors are insisting on complete rest for the next few days.
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The Indian team will have to wait till November 21, when the final assessment will decide whether the right-handed batsman can actually participate in the second Test against the Proteas.
Meanwhile, Abhinav Mukund has expressed concern over Shubman Gill’s captaincy and said that the young batsman is under a lot of pressure to lead India across all formats.
While other players have been rotated, Gill has played consistently, including a comeback in the Kolkata Test against South Africa right after the Australia tour, and the workload is beginning to take its toll.
Mukund urged the BCCI and the Indian selectors to consider a split captaincy with different leaders for Tests, ODIs and T20Is, allowing Gill to focus on his batting while providing leadership. Notably, Gill is already leading India in Tests and ODIs and is likely to get the T20I captaincy next year.
Abhinav Mukund said on The Great Indian Cricket Show on Doordarshan: “I think Shubhman has the potential to be the captain of all formats, but I don’t think India should have the captain of all formats now.
Divided captaincy is a smart move. Shubman Gill has been given the responsibility of taking command in the Test and there will be a lot of pressure on him. This is an important series, and the England series was a big confidence booster for India.
