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New Delhi: In a last-ditch attempt to prove his fitness for the second South Africa Test, India skipper Shubman Gill will undergo a fitness test on Friday, according to batting coach Sitanshu Kotak. Though Gill has travelled with the squad to Guwahati, he has not trained due to a neck spasm sustained during the first Test at the Eden Gardens.
The opening batter developed a spasm on the second day of the opening Test in Kolkata, which India lost by 30 runs, and hasn't returned to the nets ever since.
While his chances of participation in the Guwahati Test remain slim, the BCCI sports science team is waiting as long as possible before taking a final decision. The second and final Test begins at the Baraspara Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
"See, he is definitely recovering really well, because I also met him yesterday," Kotak said ahead of a practice session that Gill was not part of.
"Now, the decision will be taken tomorrow evening, because the physios and doctors have to decide whether, even if he is fully recovered, there's a chance of the spasm recurring during the match. That is very important." "If there is a doubt, then I am sure he will rest for one more game because it won't help the team otherwise. A player like Shubman, and he's the captain so any team would miss him," Kotak added.
Kotak is aware of the impact of the absence of a quality player like Gill, but also has belief and confidence in the bench strength.
"But if he is missing out because of injury, we have batters and plenty of good players. They are professionals; they should come and perform for the team," Kotak said.
"We all wish he plays, but if he doesn't, we will definitely have a good replacement and maybe the guy coming in will score a hundred." In the first Test in Kolkata, Dhruv Jurel batted at No. 4 in the second innings, and Kotak did not rule out that option again, though he stressed that combinations would only be discussed after Gill's fitness test.
"Jurel batted at No. 4, so he is one option. But until we know about Shubman, there is no point discussing who will play," he said.
"Once we know, and once we see the wicket tomorrow, we will think about the best combination." Kotak summed up the significance of Gill's absence in the first Test with pointed clarity.
"In the last game, nobody discussed much about what our chances would have been had Shubman batted in both innings," he said.
"The second innings may not have even mattered. If in the first innings he had batted and we had one partnership, with a 100-run lead, we would have been fine. That's not an excuse, but a reality that he couldn't bat in two innings."
According to multiple reports, Gill has been advised to rest for 3 to 4 days and needs at least 10 days to recover and then complete his rehabilitation to be match-ready fully. In case he plays the Test match in Guwahati, selectors would be tempted to rest him from the three-match ODI series against the Proteas starting November 30 in Ranchi.
