India T20 vice-captain Shubman Gill will go to Bengaluru’s Centre of Excellence on Monday for his required fitness evaluation procedures. This will determine when he may resume playing in the forthcoming five-match series against South Africa, which begins on December 9.
Gill missed both the second Test and the current ODI series after suffering a neck injury while batting on the second day of the first Test against South Africa in Kolkata.
The selection committee led by Ajit Agarkar will be waiting for Gill’s fitness report from the Sports Science team at the COE because the Indian T20I squad wouldn’t have any surprises, not even minor ones, unless there were any injury difficulties.
“Gill was administered an injection and advised 21 days of rest and rehabilitation, which included specific exercises to strengthen the muscles of the injured area. Obviously, the sports science team would go through all his mandatory fitness tests before he starts the skills training.
“Nothing can be said unless the sports science team assesses his movements during skills training and whether he is having zero discomfort while batting,” a PTI report quoted a BCCI source as saying.
Gill’s prospects of making a comeback for SA T20Is appear to be 50-50 at this point.
Meanwhile, Hardik Pandya has been cleared to return to the T20 format and will play his first match after almost two and a half months against Punjab in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in Hyderabad on Tuesday.
He is also slated to play the December 4 game between Baroda and Gujarat with national selector Pragyan Ojha in attendance for both the games to verify his general fitness before the selection is announced.
“From October 21 to November 30, Hardik didn’t even move out of the COE and completed his full rehab and ‘Return To Play’ protocols. As of now, he has been given the all clear — to bat and bowl in T20Is — and he has already linked up with the Baroda team for the Punjab game. He will play on December 4 vs Gujarat and if the Indian team management doesn’t summon him earlier, then he plans to play the December 6 game against Haryana also,” the PTI report quoted a source in the know of the developments at the COE.
