New Delhi: India batter Shubman Gill is reportedly doubtful for the day-night second Test between India and Australia scheduled in Adelaide from December 6. Preceding the game, India are scheduled to play a pink-ball practice game starting Saturday to prepare for the match, and as per a report in The Times of India (TOI), Gill is certain to miss the practice game in Canberra and his participation in the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy is also under serious doubts.
Gill was ruled out of the first Test played in Perth due to a fractured left thumb sustained during the intra-squad match in the lead-up to the series opener. He has been advised to rest for a few days and will require practice before being considered for selection.
“Gill was advised a 10-14 day rest by the medical specialist after suffering that injury. He won’t play in the practice match on the weekend, and is doubtful at the moment for the second Test too. Let’s see how much his injury has healed, how his finger feels. Even after it has healed, he’ll need some quality practice before playing a Test match,” the report quoted a source as saying.
Even former India selector Jatin Paranjpe opined on Gill’s situation saying that the team could miss him for “two to three Tests.” “I know from past experience that finger injuries, especially like the one he has suffered to the thumb take two to four weeks to heal, so don’t be surprised if he misses two to three Test matches,” Paranjape had said.
Who will be India’s No.3 in Adelaide?
Gill has become an important member of Team India’s batting unit over the years as he debuted in Tests during India’s 2020-21 BGT tour of Australia. He debuted in the Boxing Day Test and made some invaluable contributions, helping India historically win the series 2-1. He has become an all-format batter since then and even dropped to no. 3 batting position, getting better returns.
The 24-year-old has scored 924 runs in 25 innings at no. 3 so far with three centuries. His average at no. 3 is 42.07, better than his career average of 36.73. Due to Gill’s injury and Rohit Sharma’s unavailability in the first Test, KL Rahul opened alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal which turned out to be a successful move. Now that Rohit has joined the team back, he is expected to retake his opener’s role which means Rahul would drop to no. 3 if Gill fails to regain his fitness in time.
This also means that there won’t be a space for Devdutt Padikkal, who was added to the squad last minute for the Perth Test. After winning the first game by 295 runs, India will look on to continue the winning run in Adelaide, and will also eye to become the first side to beat Australia in a day-night Test.
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