Indian batting coach Sitanshu Kotak said that the team is still waiting to make a call on skipper Shubman Gill’s participation in the Guwahati Test against South Africa, which starts on Saturday.
Gill suffered a neck spasm during India’s defeat in Kolkata and was later admitted to a private hospital and kept under observation. He didn’t play any part in the game after his three-ball outing in the first innings.
The 26-year-old flew to Guwahati along with the team on Wednesday, but expectedly sat out of India’s outdoor nets session at the Barsapara Stadium on Thursday.
Speaking at a media interaction ahead of India’s training outing, Kotak suggested that the team will not rush Gill back into action.
“See, he is definitely recovering really well. I met him yesterday. Now, the decision will be taken tomorrow evening. The physios and doctors will have to make a call if he has fully recovered. Because he should not get that spasm again during a game, and that is very important,” said Kotak.
India’s captain Shubman Gill leaves the field after retiring hurt on the second day of the first Test.
| Photo Credit:
K.R. Deepak
India’s captain Shubman Gill leaves the field after retiring hurt on the second day of the first Test.
| Photo Credit:
K.R. Deepak
“So, if he is fully recovered and we have a guarantee that he won’t likely have this issue again, then he will play. If there is a doubt, then I am sure he will take a rest for one more game, because it won’t be helpful to the team [to play with an injury risk].”
Kotak also added that the fate of the Kolkata Test would have been different if Gill had managed to bat in both innings.
“So, the one point nobody has discussed much is that, if Shubman could have batted in both innings, then those 30 runs [defeat margin] may not have even mattered. So, if in the first inning he had batted and had a partnership, we would have had a 100-run lead, and we would have been fine. That is not an excuse, but that is the reality,” said Kotak.
The Indian coach opined that the home team has the depth in talent to make up for Gill’s potential absence.
“Any team would miss a player and a captain like Shubman. But if he misses out because of an injury, then we have plenty of good players who should step up and perform for the team. That’s the player’s job, and our job is to prepare them. We all wish that he plays, but if he doesn’t play, we will definitely have a good replacement. And maybe the guy coming in will score a 100. So, we believe that,” added Kotak.
Kotak also refused to comment on India’s possible team combination in light of the many variables in play.
“Now, what combination we go with, that, I also don’t know. Because until we know about Shubman, there is no point in discussing who will play. So, once we know that and once we see the wicket tomorrow, we will discuss what sort of a combination to go with tomorrow,” said Kotak.
Published on Nov 20, 2025