Shubman Gill’s participation in the remainder of the Kolkata Test is in doubt after he was taken to a private hospital as a precautionary measure following a neck spasm on Day 2. Gill was stretchered from the stadium at stumps for scans, wearing a neck brace and accompanied by the team doctor and a security liaison officer.
Discomfort After Just Three Balls – Shubman Gill Retires Hurt
The Shubman Gill injury occurred only three balls into his innings. After playing a sweep for four off Simon Harmer to get off the mark, he appeared in visible discomfort, clutching the back of his neck.
He immediately called for the physio and walked off the field, retiring hurt.
Shubman Gill did not return to bat as India were bowled out for 189. The BCCI confirmed:
“Shubman Gill has a neck spasm and is being monitored by the BCCI medical team.”
Before play began on Day 2, Shubman was seen performing neck exercises in front of the coaching staff and medical team, signaling that he might have been managing discomfort.
This is not the first time he has had neck issues; he missed a Test against New Zealand in October 2024 due to neck stiffness.
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Morkel Calls It ‘Unfortunate’ – Shubman’s Fitness
India bowling coach Morne Morkel described the situation as “unfortunate” while expressing confidence in Shubman’s overall fitness:
“Shubman Gill is a very fit guy. He looks after himself very well. It’s just unfortunate he woke up with a stiff neck, which carried into the day. Another partnership with him batting around was going to be needed, just bad timing.”
If Shubman returns later in the Test, he may not bat at No. 4 since this was not caused by an external injury.
Workload Under Scrutiny – Shubman’s Busy Schedule
The injury comes as Shubman Gill’s workload has been closely monitored. He has played consistently across formats since IPL 2025 and was among four Test players who flew directly from Australia to Kolkata after the T20I series.
In Shubman Gill’s absence, Rishabh Pant captained during South Africa’s second innings. Ravindra Jadeja’s spell of 4 for 29 restricted South Africa to 93 for 7 at stumps, leaving them just 63 runs ahead.