India captain Shubman Gill has travelled to Guwahati with the India squad for the second Test against South Africa, but his improving neck injury is unlikely to be fully healed by the time the match begins on Saturday.
It is acknowledged, nonetheless, that the captain will make every effort to demonstrate his fitness throughout Thursday and Friday’s training sessions. The team has arrived in Guwahati.
The 26-year-old Gill is far from being fully fit, according to sources close to the Indian team. The pain in the nape of his neck is still present, though it has significantly decreased in intensity.
“Shubman has been responding well to the medical treatment provided and will travel to Guwahati with the team on 19th November, 2025,” read a statement from BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia.
“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,” he added, maintaining the suspense around the batting star’s availability.
Even if he might be clinically fit, the demands of five-day cricket could make the condition worse and prolong his layoff.
A competent right-hander who can handle spin is essential since the series is on the line and off-spinner Simon Harmer is a serious threat following the Kolkata Test.
Even though Sarfaraz Khan, Karun Nair, and Abhimanyu Easwaran are all adept at handling spin, the current coaching staff and selection committee don’t have much faith in them.
Their straightforward reasoning is that, despite the fact that Devdutt Padikkal and Sai Sudharsan are both left-handers, bringing a player from outside would indicate a severe lack of confidence in the young players’ capacity to withstand pressure.
Sudharsan hasn’t looked very convincing, though, and some believe Dhruv Jurel would be a better choice at number three due to his tighter technique.
Given that even a half-fit captain is thought to be more effective than Sudharsan, Easwaran, or Sarfaraz, Gill, who is known to train even on optional days, may merely want to be fit enough to bat.
Additionally, missing a Test at this early stage of his leadership would be the last thing he would want as a new captain still earning his stripes in the dressing room.
The narrative has another facet. In order to properly recuperate and finish his rehabilitation and be match-ready, Gill most likely needs ten days or more. Selectors would logically rest him from the ODI series, which begins in Ranchi on November 30, if he plays the Test match.
He may simply take a rest and return for the T20s against South Africa because there isn’t much on the line in the ODI series.
The last thing Gill wants, though, is a third challenger for captaincy in KL Rahul or Axar Patel, even if it’s just in a temporary capacity, as his ODI deputy Shreyas Iyer is far from fit following his on-field injury in Australia.
What’s clear is that Gill cannot be expected to play the second Test, three ODIs, and five T20Is over the next four weeks—especially with the heavy travel involved.
The move could easily backfire, and with the broader picture in mind, the emerging leader would benefit from a break—for his own good and the team’s.
