Why Is Shubman Gill Not Playing In IND vs SA 2nd Test?

After an embarrassing defeat in the India vs South Africa series opener in Kolkata, the hosts are all set to register a quick turnaround in the 2nd and final Test against the Proteas. However, star wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant would don the skipper’s hat for the fixture as the Indian captain Shubman Gill will miss the red-ball clash in Guwahati.

Why Shubman Gill Is Not Playing In IND vs SA 2nd Test

Notably, the 26-year-old had left the field after facing just three balls on Day 2 of the Kolkata Test. Gill was later taken to the hospital after the end of the day’s play due to his severe neck issue. However, in a recent media release, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had revealed that the skipper would travel to Guwahati with the Test team.

But as the batter is yet to fully recover from the injury, he has been sidelined from the second red-ball fixture against South Africa. After facing a tough loss in the first match, Gill’s absence would be another major blow for the hosts before taking on the Proteas in the series decider.

“Team India captain Shubman Gill, who suffered a neck injury during the first Test against South Africa, has been ruled out of the second Test in Guwahati. He was kept under observation and discharged the next day. He travelled to Guwahati on 19th November, 2025. Unfortunately, he was not fully fit to feature in the 2nd Test and will head to Mumbai for further assessment of his injury,” read a BCCI statement.

The news from the center is South Africa have won the toss and elected to bat first. The Proteas have made one change, with Senuran Muthusamy coming in for Corbin Bosch.

India have made two changes, with Shubman Gill and Axar Patel going out and Sai Sudharsan and Nitish Kumar Reddy coming into the playing XI.

Playing XIs for IND vs SA 2nd Test

India: KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Dhruv Jurel, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.

South Africa: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Temba Bavuma(c), Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne(w), Marco Jansen, Senuran Muthusamy, Simon Harmer, Keshav Maharaj.

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Shubman Gill Was Continuing A Blazing Run In Tests

Since taking up the leadership duties for India, Gill has been in remarkable form, especially in Tests. The batter had notched up 147 runs in England in his debut innings while captaining the national side. Following this, Gill continued the momentum with the subsequent scores of 269, 161 and 103.

He went on to shatter several records and became the top run-getter of the five-Test series with 754 runs, including four centuries. Gill also extended his purple patch at home. The skipper had put up an unbeaten 129 against the West Indies in Delhi, after a well-made 50 in the series opener.

However, India are on the brink of replicating last year’s horror show facing New Zealand. After failing to chase the 124-run target in the final innings and being bundled out for just 93 runs, the two-time World Test Championship (WTC) runners-up would be looking to improve their batting on home soil.

Previously, the 3-0 whitewash by the Black Caps in 2024 had ended India’s 12 years of unbeaten, dominating streak at home in the red-ball format.

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