IND vs SA: Shubman Gill Out, This Player to Lead Team India

Rishabh Pant's captaincy record, India vs South Africa Test: India's Test captain Shubman Gill has been ruled out of the second Test against South Africa, which begins in Guwahati on Saturday. In Gill's absence, wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant will take over the captaincy of the team, while left-handed batsman Sai Sudharsan is likely to be included in the playing XI in place of Gill.

Shubman Gill to travel with the team to Guwahati

Gill sustained a neck injury while batting in the first innings of the first Test. He did not field in South Africa's second innings and also did not bat when chasing a target of 124 runs in India's second innings. Gill was taken to a Kolkata hospital after the second day's play and was discharged the following day. A BCCI press release issued on Wednesday stated that the 26-year-old Gill will travel with the team to Guwahati and will be monitored by the BCCI medical team.

BCCI stated this in the press release

The press release stated, "Captain Shubman Gill sustained a neck injury on the second day of the Test against South Africa in Kolkata and was taken to the hospital for examination after the end of day's play. He was kept under observation and was discharged from the hospital the next day. Shubman's injury has improved and he will travel with the team to Guwahati on November 19, 2025."

Pant has been appointed captain in place of Gill. Pant has not captained any international Test match so far. However, his captaincy record is very poor. Whether in the IPL, India A, or international T20, Pant has not achieved much as a captain.

Matches lost under Pant's captaincy -

• India faced a crushing defeat in the unofficial Test played between India A and South Africa A. In that match, South Africa A easily chased down a massive target of 417 runs. Rishabh Pant was captaining India A in this match.
• Pant captained in the second innings of the Kolkata Test, and the Indian team had to face defeat. First, despite taking seven wickets for 91 runs from South Africa in the second innings, the team could not dismiss the last three wickets quickly, and South Africa scored 153 runs. As a result, India was given a target of 124 runs, which was almost impossible to achieve on Kolkata's turning wicket. India could not achieve it and was all out for just 93 runs.
• He has captained Delhi Capitals (DC) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the Indian Premier League (IPL), and his captaincy has been very average. His team, Delhi, only reached the playoffs once under his captaincy in 2021. After that, they finished 5th in 2022, 6th in 2024, and Lucknow Super Giants finished 8th in 2025. Overall, Pant has captained in 43 matches, winning 23, losing 19, and one match was tied.
• Rishabh Pant has primarily captained the Indian team in international T20s. He took over the captaincy in the first T20 against South Africa in 2022. So far, he has captained a total of 5 T20 matches, out of which India has won only two.