Shubman Gill Discharged from Hospital, But Won't Fly to Guwahati! Team India in Trouble

Shubman Gill Discharged From Hospital: Indian captain Shubman Gill was discharged from Woodlands Hospital in Kolkata on Sunday, but he will not be able to fly to Guwahati with the Indian team yet. This news could be a cause for concern for Team India. It is known that he had to miss the first Test match against South Africa due to a neck sprain. He retired hurt after playing only three balls in India's first innings and did not bat in the second innings. His absence proved costly for India. The hosts lost the match by 30 runs and trailed the series 0-1. Now the biggest question is, if Gill does not play the second Test in Guwahati, who will replace him?

Uncertainty Remains Over Availability for Second Match

Bengal Cricket Association president Sourav Ganguly met Gill at Woodlands Multispecialty Hospital immediately after India's defeat and confirmed that his condition is stable, but he is under observation. However, he was discharged from the hospital late in the evening. Uncertainty now looms over his availability for the second Test match in Guwahati, which starts on November 22.

Doctors Advised Against Air Travel

According to media reports, doctors have advised him to avoid commercial air travel during his recovery, making it unlikely for him to join the team on Wednesday's flight. He is also not expected to participate in India's final training session in Kolkata on Tuesday. Gautam Gambhir also acknowledged that Gill's absence severely impacted India's run-chase.

Now, if Gill is not fit, India will have to rely on either Sai Sudharsan or Devdutt Padikkal. Sudharsan had impressed against West Indies earlier, but recently struggled for India A. Meanwhile, Padikkal's recent comeback has not been significant. The inclusion of either of them would mean another left-handed batsman, leading to an abundance of left-handed batsmen in the team, who might find it difficult to face South Africa's off-spinner Simon Harmer.

Shubman Gill Played the Most Matches This Year

Gill's injury comes amidst a workload burden due to playing continuous cricket across various formats. Earlier, he missed a Test match in October 2024 due to a similar neck issue. It is noteworthy that Gill is the player who has played the most matches for India in 2025, with 32 games. Axar Patel (29) is second, while Kuldeep Yadav, KL Rahul, and Varun Chakravarthy have played 20 matches each. Continuously playing Gill in every format now appears to be taking a toll on the Indian team management.