Shubman Gill wanted to bat for an hour but was ruled out after...; Guwahati pitch to force all-rounder out of 2nd Test
BCCI has not made the official announcement yet, but Shubman Gill could be asked to return home to recuperate.
In a huge blow just two days before the Guwahati Test, India will be without their captain, Shubman Gill, as he has been ruled out with a neck injury he suffered during the first game in Kolkata. Although he travelled to Guwahati on Wednesday and hoped to prove his fitness, The Times of India reported that the BCCI medical team considered him far from match-ready, even as India aim to save the series.
The report revealed that Gill wanted to "bat for an hour" in the nets at the Barsapara Stadium during India's first training at the venue before the match. However, the management was not keen on taking that risk and would rather have him rest and recover for the ODI series against the Proteas, which will get underway later this month. Although the BCCI has not made the official announcement yet, he could be asked to return home to recuperate.
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The report further revealed that the management was initially on board to play the waiting game, and hence, the 25-year-old was keen to have a long batting session at the nets, but when that didn't happen, he was ruled out of contention for a spot in the Indian playing XI. Rishabh Pant will lead the team in his stead, while Dhruv Jurel will likely take over the No. 4 role in the line-up, just as he did in the final innings in Kolkata.
Axar Patel back on the bench?
While the Guwahati track still has a green tinge, the management expects it to offer some turn and bounce. The report added that, given the surface, India might send Axar Patel back to the bench after he was given an opportunity in Kolkata in place of specialist batter Sai Sudharsan. The two are likely to swap places, while all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, who was summoned early to the Indian Test squad after being released from the India A white-ball series in Rajkot last week owing to concerns over Gill’s availability, might also find a spot in the playing XI.
Earlier on Thursday, batting coach Sitanshu Kotak remained tight-lipped when asked about India's combination for the match.
"You tell me one thing, they had a left-arm spinner also. If we had seven right-handed batsmen, then? They had a left-arm spinner also, and an off-spinner also. I believe that you have to play well. Off-spinner bowling to left-hander does not mean left-hander has to get out. We had two left-arm spinners [in the first Test], they had nine right-handers; did they get out? So maybe that thing is a little overrated," said Kotak.
