Shubman Gill looks unlikely to be fit for the second Test in Guwahati.
Former cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra has called for Ruturaj Gaikwad’s inclusion in India’s Test XI if Shubman Gill is ruled out of the second Test against South Africa, starting on November 22 in Guwahati.
It seems unlikely that Gill would be declared fit for the Guwahati Test. The Indian skipper was hospitalised after suffering a neck injury while batting in the series opener at Eden Gardens.
Although Gill has been discharged, he reportedly needs a week to recover fully. The 26-year-old might travel with the squad to Guwahati, but he is unlikely to feature in the playing XI.
Chopra threw his weight behind Gaikwad because of the high number of left-handers in the XI, arguing that it made the team vulnerable against Proteas spinner Simon Harmer, who returned with a match-haul of eight wickets in the first Test.
“Should Ruturaj Gaikwad be selected in the Test team? You might be wondering how he can be picked when the squad is already announced and no one has been replaced. There is still no clarity on Shubman Gill’s participation. He has been discharged from hospital, but there remains a question mark over whether he will play,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
“Just in case he doesn’t become available, you will have to play someone. You have Sai Sudharsan and Devdutt Padikkal sitting outside — two more left-handers. You already have six left-handers in the XI. Do you want to go with seven? You might want to change that,” he added.
Currently playing for India A against South Africa A in a one-day series in Rajkot, Ruturaj slammed 117 on November 13 and followed it up with an unbeaten 68 two days later.
“He is in excellent form. He is scoring runs for India A in white-ball cricket. I don’t know why he isn’t playing the red-ball format for India A, but wherever he plays — Ranji Trophy or Duleep Trophy — he keeps getting the runs,” Chopra said.
“He even bats in the middle order. He looks technically compact. It seems as if he is made for Test cricket, and this is the same ground where he struck a T20I century against Australia. So I’m building a case for him: if there is any chance of Shubman Gill not playing, paradrop him into the squad,” he remarked.
After losing the Kolkata Test, India conceded an unassailable 1-0 lead to Proteas in the two-match series. The hosts are facing a must-win situation heading into the second Test to level the series.