On Wednesday, Indian skipper Shubhman Gill landed in Guwahati with the hope of walking out for the toss on Saturday. He was stretchered off during the first Test after suffering a painful neck injury.
Gill will attempt to prove his fitness during India’s training sessions on Thursday and Friday at the Barsapara Stadium, PTI reported. The BCCI, in its latest health update, confirmed that Gill had been cleared to travel and was “responding well to treatment.” However, many expected the board to rule him out of the second Test, but they instead said that a final call would be made closer to match day.
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The injury came in the first innings at Eden Gardens. Gill immediately grabbed his neck, grimacing, before being taken off the field and later hospitalised.
With the skipper stretchered out of the field, after bowling South Africa out for just 159, India could not build a strong lead. Chasing only 124, the team imploded to 93 all out, their lowest-ever fourth-innings total at home.
Simon Harmer, the South African off-spinner, picked up eight wickets and walked away with the Player of the Match award.
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Shubman Gill's second test return becomes critical
Now Gill is trying to pull India out of a slump that has already seen them lose four of their last six home Tests, all during Gautam Gambhir’s tenure as head coach. The 0–3 drubbing at the hands of New Zealand last year still weighs heavily.
Notably, Gill has been operating at full throttle for months. After the Asia Cup, he played a home Test series against the West Indies. He then crossed hemispheres to Australia for eight white-ball games, including captaining the ODI side for the first time. He barely paused before beginning prep for the Kolkata Test.
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Back to the fray, if he does make it back into the XI, India regain not just their captain but also the only right-hander capable of balancing a top order overflowing with six left-handers.
India will play three ODIs and five T20Is between November 30 and December 19.
