Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir provided a major update on the availability of T20I vice-captain Shubman Gill for the upcoming five-match series against South Africa. Gambhir confirmed that Gill will be available for all five T20 matches against the Proteas, which are scheduled to take place from December 9 to 19.
On 3 December, India announced its 15-man squad for the T20 series against South Africa. Gill was included, but his availability was dependent on fitness clearance. Gill is not the captain in T20I format. Middle-order batsman Suryakumar Yadav will lead the Indian team in the series, while Gill will act as his deputy.
Shubman Gill is ready to start – Gautam Gambhir
Speaking to the media after Team India’s 2-1 ODI series win over South Africa. Gautam Gambhir confirmed that Shubman Gill has fully recovered. He said that Gill was selected only because he is completely fit and eager to return to the field.
“Yes, Shubman is ready to start. That’s why he has been selected. And obviously he is fit and fine, hungry to progress.”
Gill last featured in a T20I during the five-match series against Australia. He is set to return as an opening batsman for India in the upcoming T20I against South Africa. Gill will partner with Abhishek Sharma at the top.
Shubman Gill ruled out of second Test and ODI after neck injury
Shubman Gill injured his neck while batting in the first Test against South Africa in Kolkata. The right-handed batsman had to retire after facing only a few balls and did not return to bat in the second innings.
He also remained out of the next Test in Guwahati due to injury. India was captained by Rishabh Pant in that match, which India lost by a huge margin of 408 runs and lost the series 2–0.
Gill was not selected for the three-match ODI series that followed. India still managed to win the ODI series 2-1 on 6 December.
India and South Africa will now compete in a five-match T20 series. The first match will be played in Cuttack on December 9, followed by matches in New Chandigarh, Dharamshala, Lucknow and Ahmedabad.
Hardik Pandya ready to return to T20 after injury
Apart from the return of Shubman Gill in T20I, Hardik Pandya will also return in the upcoming series. Pandya was out of international action after suffering an injury during the Asia Cup 2025 Super Four match against Sri Lanka in Dubai, which also kept him out of the final against Pakistan.
He performed well in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he scored unbeaten 77 off 42 balls for Baroda against Punjab. His innings helped Baroda chase down the target of 223 runs with one over to spare in Hyderabad. He also contributed with the ball and took 1-52 in his four-over spell.
In T20Is, the 32-year-old has featured in 120 matches for India, scoring 1,860 runs with five fifties and taking 98 wickets, including his best performance of 4 for 16.
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