As he recovers from an injury, India Test skipper Shubman Gill has to wear a neck collar. Nitish Kumar Reddy has been called up by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to replace Gill in the team for the second Test match against South Africa.
On Day 2 of the first Test match against South Africa at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, which India lost by 30 runs, Gill sustained a neck injury while batting. Gill was unable to compete in the rest of the Test because of a neck spasm injury that required him to stay in the hospital.
Gill is not expected to accompany the squad to Guwahati for the second and final Test of the series, which begins on Saturday, according to sources close to the Cricket Association of Bengal. Gill is expected to skip India's optional training session in Kolkata on Tuesday as well because of "acute pain" in his neck.
“He has acute neck pain, and we’re not allowed to further go to details about the injury. He has to keep continue wearing the neck collar,” the source told news agency PTI. “He has been advised three-four days rest and not to take flight.
“In this situation, he is not advised to travel to Guwahati. But we are monitoring his progress on a daily basis and the picture will be clearer by Tuesday,” the sources added.
The Times of India reports that Nitish Reddy, who plays for India A, has been requested to return to the team. On a dry, spin-friendly ground, Reddy became surplus to requirements and was released prior to the Kolkata Test.
He might return to the starting lineup, but India might choose to use a specialist batsman. Devdutt Padikkal and B Sai Sudharsan are still available on the bench. They might not want to bolster the team with another left-hander, though.
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