Shubman Gill grimaces in pain after hurting his neck during Kolkata Test.
Credit: PTI
Indian skipper Shubman Gill, who missed most of the first Test in Kolkata after suffering a neck injury will travel with rest of the team for the second Test which will be held in Guwahati from November 22.
Gill was taken to hospital after the second day of the Kolkata Test against South Africa, having retired after facing just four balls and just after slog-sweeping Simon Harmer for a boundary in India's first innings.
On the morning of day three, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had confirmed he would take no further part in the match. He was discharged from hospital on Sunday (November 16) evening.
Though there were speculations that the 26-year-old would not travel to Guwahati, BCCI put laid to rest all those rumours.
"Team India captain Shubman Gill suffered a neck injury on Day 2 of the Kolkata Test against South Africa and was taken to the hospital for examination after the end of day's play.
He was kept under observation and discharged the next day. Shubman has been responding well to the medical treatment provided and will travel to Guwahati with the team on 19th November, 2025," BCCI said in a post on X.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir had said at the post-match press conference that Gill was "still being assessed", with another round of evaluations to be carried out by the physio and medical staff.
The BCCI added that their medical team is monitoring Gill and a decision on his availability for Guwahati Test will be taken in due course.
"He will continue to be monitored by the BCCI medical team and a decision on his participation in the 2nd Test will be taken accordingly," the BCCI statement added.
Having gone down 0-1 in the two-match series, India would definitely want their captain back for the Guwahati Test where BCCI has flipped tradition by having tea break before lunch because of the clement weather conditions in North East during winter.
If Gill is indeed ruled out, India have options in B Sai Sudharsan and Devdutt Padikkal and that is the reason why they did not call-up any reserve batter for the Guwahati Test which will have a 9am start.
All-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy has already been taken out of the ongoing India A series against South Africa A in Rajkot and asked to join the team in Guwahati.
(with inputs from agencies)