Shubman Gill uncertain for IND vs SA Test 2nd, Nitish Reddy joins squad in Kolkata

The Guwahati Test will begin November 22, giving Shubman Gill just 4 days to recover.

Shubman Gill will travel to Guwahati. The India Test captain was discharged from the Woodlands Hospital in Kolkata on November 16, after suffering neck spasms, and has been with the Indian team at ITC Sonar since. Gill will be part of the squad that’ll fly to Guwahati on November 19, but his participation isn’t certain.

Will Shubman Gill play the Guwahati Test?

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) medical team and local doctors are monitoring Gill’s condition. The selectors and team management are in constant touch and want Gill to play the India vs South Africa 2nd Test, but won’t rush him back. The final call on the Indian captain’s participation will be taken on the eve of the match.

“That was the original plan, and there is no change as of now – Gill will travel. Barring a last-minute change, he should be in Guwahati,” a source told Cricbuzz.

Nitish Reddy joins squad

Nitish Kumar Reddy has also linked up with India’s squad in Kolkata. Originally part of the team, the all-rounder was released to feature for India A instead. Nitish was in Rajkot and was expected to feature in the third and final one-day match against South Africa A when the BCCI called him up. By November 17, he was in Kolkata with the team and would leave for Guwahati with them.

Nitish’s inclusion in the squad does raise some questions. Has the all-rounder been added as cover for Gill or someone else? At the Eden Gardens, India went with 6 left-handed batters, and Simon Harmer wreaked havoc.

It could be an indication that perhaps Axar Patel will be rested for Nitish, but on the other hand, the Indian management has already been criticised for playing too many all-rounders.

India squad for IND vs SA 2nd Test

Shubman Gill (c) (subject to fitness), Rishabh Pant wc & wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Akash Deep, Nitish Kumar Reddy (BCCI yet to confirm)