In Gill’s Absence, The Team Faces Mounting Pressure as They Prepare for a Must-win Game Against WTC Champion South Africa.

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Shubman Gill’s injury has left India scrambling ahead of the second Test against South Africa. After a disappointing loss in the series opener, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has added an all-rounder to the squad. Gill’s potential unavailability adds to India’s batting woes as pressure mounts on the team.

Shubman Gill Injury Update

India Test captain Shubman Gill has been forced to wear a neck collar as he recovers from an injury blow. Gill suffered a neck injury while batting on Day 2 of the first Test against South Africa at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

Some internal sources have confirmed that Gill is unlikely to travel with the team to Guwahati for the second and final Test of the series. The doctor, reportedly, has asked him not to take a flight due to “acute pain” in the neck.

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“He has acute neck pain, and we’re not allowed to go into details about the injury. He has to continue wearing the neck collar,” the source told news agency PTI. “He has been advised three days' rest and not to take flight.

“In this situation, he is not advised to travel to Guwahati. But we are monitoring his progress daily, and the picture will be clearer by Tuesday,” the sources added.

India will be holding an optional training session in Kolkata on Tuesday, and Gill is set to miss that as well.

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India Squad Change

The BCCI has summoned Nitish Kumar Reddy to replace the skipper in the squad for the second Test against South Africa. He was released before the Kolkata Test and is currently part of the India A team. However, India still has options of Sai Sudharsan and Devdutt Padikkal on the bench.

India’s Humiliating Defeat

India lost the first Test by 30 runs inside three days as South Africa took a 1-0 lead in the series. The hosts collapsed for 93 while chasing a modest target of 124 on a spin-friendly surface with unpredictable sideways movement. Without their captain available to bat, the middle order faltered under pressure, resulting in India’s second-lowest failed chase at home.

Gill’s absence leaves a massive void in the squad, but India still has enough firepower to mount a fightback if key players step up. The series decider will reveal whether the team can overcome injuries, tactical flaws, and the psychological blow of the first-Test defeat. The young test team’s response could define the remainder of the tour.

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