India captain Shubman Gill is not expected to play in the second Test match against South Africa. Sources from the Cricket Association of Bengal have confirmed that he will not be traveling to Guwahati with the team on Wednesday.
The team is set to have an optional training session on Tuesday.
“He has acute neck pain, and we’re not allowed to further go to details about the injury. He has to keep continuing wearing the neck collar,” the source said.
“He has been advised three-four days rest and not to take flight. In this situation, he is not advised to travel to Guwahati. But we are monitoring his progress on a daily basis and the picture will be clearer by Tuesday,” the sources added.
For the second and final Test, which begins on Saturday, the Indian team is expected to travel to Guwahati on Wednesday.
At the news conference following the game, head coach Gautam Gambhir stated that Gill was “still being assessed” and that the medical and physiotherapy team would conduct additional evaluations.
Gill’s absence in the fourth innings left India a batter short, contributing to their 30-run defeat while chasing 124.
India has options in B Sai Sudharsan and Devdutt Padikkal if Gill is ruled out of the second Test.
Sudharsan recently notched up a highest score of 32 in four innings for India A against South Africa A after scoring 87 against the West Indies in Delhi.
After facing just three balls in India’s opening innings, Gill retired hurt on four and was taken to the hospital during the second day of the Kolkata Test. The BCCI announced early on Day 3 that he would not be participating in the game going forward. On Sunday evening, he was released from the hospital.
In October 2024, Gill also missed a Test match against New Zealand because of a neck spasm. The squad is keeping a tight eye on his workload at the moment of his most recent setback.
Two days after their most recent Twenty20 International in Brisbane, four Test regulars joined Team India, including the captain of India, who has been playing consistently across formats since IPL 2025.
