Team India skipper Shubman Gill has reportedly been released from the squad due to his concerning neck injury ahead of the second Test against South Africa in Guwahati. The ace batter’s availability for the must-win clash was always a huge question mark since he walked off the field on Day 2 of the series opener at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. There was slight optimism after Shubman Gill was part of the travelling squad to Guwahati for the second Test. While Team India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak mentioned during a pre-match press conference that the player is recovering well, he was not seen in the practice sessions during the build-up to the Test. Inevitably, India have been forced to take the drastic measure of releasing their skipper midway through a series while battling a deficit. According to a report by the Times of India, Gill has already left Guwahati, and will be travelling to Mumbai to meet a specialist to combat the issue in his neck, which is seeming to be a crippling problem. “India Test captain Shubman Gill has been released from the squad ahead of the Guwahati Test and has already left for Mumbai on Friday. The youngster travelled with the side on November 19 but didn’t turn up for training on November 20. It is learnt that he will be resting in Mumbai for the next two-three days before seeking specialist opinion from Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala. As of now, there is no trip planned to the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) and more clarity is expected in the coming days,” the report mentions. Dinshaw Pardiwala is a renowned orthopedic surgeon who specialises in sports medicine. He was closely involved in Rishabh Pant’s recovery after his serious car accident in late 2024, which resulted in some major injuries. The doctor has also been consulted in recent times when it comes to the injuries that the likes of Shreyas Iyer and Pratika Rawal sustained while playing for Team India. Team India recalled Nitish Kumar Reddy into the squad after Shubman Gill’s injury ahead of IND vs SA 2025 2nd Test The Men in Blue immediately recalled all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy into the squad after Shubman Gill did not return to the field or bat in the second innings after walking off on Day 2. The skipper was hospitalised, with deputy Rishabh Pant taking over the leadership duties. Nitish Kumar Reddy was released from the Test squad at the last minute in Kolkata as India planned to feature four spinners in their playing XI. He joined the India ‘A’ squad in Rajkot to play in the List A matches against South Africa ‘A’.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/cricket/news-big-blow-india-shubman-gill-released-squad-ahead-ind-vs-sa-2025-2nd-test-guwahati-reports