Shubman Gill Injury Update: India Captain Skips Practice 2 Days Before Guwahati Test, Pant Set To Lead; Report

Shubman Gill is all but ruled out of the IND vs SA 2nd Test in Guwahati. The Indian captain suffered a neck spasm in Eden Gardens and is yet to fully recover from the same. Gill travelled with the team, hoping to play a part but did not practice on Thursday, 2 days before the game. He is set for a late fitness test on Friday, with Rishabh Pant set to lead should Gill miss out.

Given the severity and delicate nature of the injury, medical advice suggests Gill to avoid travel. The 26-year-old had a neck brace on as he left the hospital on discharge. He ignored medical advice and travelled to Guwahati. On arrival, the Indian captain was seen without a neck brace, prompting signs he could be fit for the Guwahati Test.

"See, he is definitely recovering really well, because I also met him yesterday. Now, the decision will be taken tomorrow evening, because the physios and doctors have to decide whether, even if he is fully recovered, there's a chance of the spasm recurring during the match. That is very important," India assistant coach Sitanshu Kotak said in the pre-match press conference.

However, reports on Thursday suggest Gill did not take part in training. The Indian captain opted to rest, with PTI reporting he was advised 10 days of rest to heal from the spasm. Regardless, Gill is desperate to play and will undergo a late fitness test on Friday, 24 hours before the game.

Should Gill miss out, Rishabh Pant will captain the team. Pant stood in for Gill at Eden Gardens, and will take over the role for the entire game in Guwahati. Should he take the armband, he will become the 38th cricketer to lead India in Test matches. He will be only the second Indian keeper alongside MS Dhoni to captain in Tests.

Gill has played non stop since the start of the year, with the IPL suspension for 10 days being the only real break. He featured in Australia T20Is, 4 days before the India vs South Africa Test. Gill was expected to continue featuring across all formats but the injury has put a dampener on Gambhir and Ajit Agarkar's plans. India hope to not aggravate the injury further given his importance across formats.