It is said that Shubman Gill will not travel with the team to Guwahati for the second and final Test against South Africa, which starts on November 22. Even young all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy has been recalled to come on as a substitute due to concerns over Gill’s fitness.
Shubman Gill is likely to miss the second Test against South Africa
However, the second Test is yet to get underway in Guwahati but the focus has already shifted to the upcoming three-match ODI series against South Africa and the squad will be announced soon. The first ODI match is scheduled for November 30 in Ranchi.
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The remaining two matches will be played in Raipur on December 3 and Visakhapatnam on December 6 respectively.
After the ODI series, India and South Africa will also play a five-match T20I series to be played from December 9 to 19 in Cuttack, New Chandigarh, Dharamsala, Lucknow and Ahmedabad. However, India’s captaincy plans for the ODI series remain uncertain.
KL Rahul or Rishabh Pant will lead India against South Africa in ODIs
Captain Shubman Gill is likely to miss the ODI series while designated vice-captain Shreyas Iyer is also sidelined due to injury. This leaves KL Rahul and Test vice-captain Rishabh Pant as the top contenders to lead the team in the absence of the regular leaders.
As reported by the Times of India, KL Rahul or Rishabh Pant will lead the Men in Blue in the upcoming three-match ODI series against South Africa. However, there are high chances that Rahul will get the nod due to his experience and seniority in the side.
The selectors are expected to decide soon, with Shubman Gill possibly rested to focus on the T20I series and avoid burnout as the boy from Punjab plays continuous cricket across the format.
The ODI series also marks the return of key all-rounders Hardik Pandya, who missed the tour of Australia due to recovery from injury, and Ravindra Jadeja.
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IND vs SA ODIs crucial for Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma
Well, the upcoming ODI series against South Africa is crucial for Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. They proved their skills and form during the Australian tour, but now they will have to continue to perform consistently.
Strong performances against South Africa and in the matches that follow will be crucial if they want to stay in contention for the 2027 ICC World Cup.
Notably, Shubman Gill had to leave the field after facing just three balls in the first innings of the first Test, which the hosts lost by 30 runs at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. He felt pain in his neck while playing a sweep shot and could not continue.
The BCCI confirmed that Gill had a neck sprain and would miss the rest of the first Test. He was then taken to hospital, where doctors monitored him closely.
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