Kolkata, India – In a setback for the Indian cricket team, captain Shubman Gill has been ruled out of the remainder of the ongoing first Test against South Africa in Kolkata due to a neck injury. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed the news on Sunday morning, stating that Gill sustained the injury on Day 2 of the match and is currently under observation.
Gill, who opened the batting for India, appeared to suffer the injury while attempting a sweep shot off South African spinner Simon Harmer. He managed to hit the ball for four but immediately felt discomfort in his neck. After receiving initial treatment from the team physio, he retired hurt after facing just three balls and scoring 4 runs.
The severity of the injury became apparent later in the evening when Gill was seen being taken to the hospital with his neck secured in a cervical collar. The BCCI stated that he was admitted for further examination and would remain under observation by their medical team. Subsequent scans led to the decision to keep him in the hospital overnight as a precautionary measure.
"Captain Shubman Gill had a neck injury on Day 2 of the ongoing Test against South Africa in Kolkata. He was taken to the hospital for examination after the end of day's play," the BCCI said in a statement. "He is currently under observation in the hospital. He will take no further part in the Test match. He will continue to be monitored by the BCCI medical team".
The extent of the injury and the timeline for Gill's recovery remain unclear. The BCCI medical team will continue to monitor his progress and conduct further tests to determine the appropriate course of treatment. There are doubts regarding his participation in the remainder of the Test series against South Africa.
India's bowling coach, Morne Morkel, suggested that the injury might be due to a "bad night's sleep" rather than Gill's workload. "Yeah, I think we first need to determine how he got the neck stiffness, maybe just a bad night's sleep. I don't think it's, or we can put it down to the load," Morkel said.
Gill has been a key player for India across all three formats of the game. He recently led India in a Test series against England and has been a regular part of the white-ball squads as well. His absence will be a significant blow to the team, particularly given his role as captain in this match.
Vice-captain Rishabh Pant, who took over the leadership duties on the field in Gill's absence on Saturday, will continue to lead the team for the remainder of the Test. The team will now have to regroup and adjust their strategy as they aim to secure a victory against South Africa in Kolkata.
