Shubman Gill’s Injury Raises Concerns
The participation of India’s Test captain, Shubman Gill, in the ongoing opening Test match against South Africa at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens is now uncertain. This follows his hospitalization as a precautionary measure due to a neck spasm, as reported by a sports news outlet.
Incident Occurs During Batting
On the second day of the Test match, Gill was taken to a private hospital for scans after experiencing discomfort. He had just come to bat following the dismissal of Washington Sundar but faced only three deliveries before leaving the field. After hitting a four, he immediately showed signs of pain by holding his neck.
Medical Update from BCCI
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) provided an update stating, “Shubman Gill has a neck spasm and is being monitored by the BCCI medical team.” Earlier in the day, he was seen performing neck exercises with a medical staff member. Notably, Gill had previously dealt with neck stiffness during last year’s home Test series against New Zealand.
Coach Describes Injury as ‘Unfortunate’
India’s bowling coach, Morne Morkel, expressed that Gill’s injury is ‘unfortunate’ but does not raise major concerns regarding the player’s workload management. He remarked, “Gill is a very fit guy who takes good care of himself. Unfortunately, he woke up with a stiff neck, which affected him during a crucial day of play. We needed him to build another partnership at that time, making the timing of this injury particularly unfortunate.”
Rishabh Pant Steps Up
With Gill sidelined, Rishabh Pant took over as captain during South Africa’s second innings. Under his leadership, the Indian spin trio dominated, with Ravindra Jadeja taking four wickets, Kuldeep Yadav claiming two, and Axar Patel contributing one, leaving the South African team struggling at 93/7.
