India hunt for right-hand stability as Gill uncertain for Guwahati Test

India's Test skipper Shubman Gill has not been officially ruled out of the second Test against South Africa here, but the chances of him taking the field are increasingly slim.

- TRIDIB BAPARNASH

The Punjab right-hander's neck injury, sustained when he faced only three balls before retiring hurt in the first Test in Kolkata, has left a major void at the top of the order and in the team's composition ahead of the must-win second match.

Gill did not return to bat in India's second innings, and his absence proved decisive as the hosts crumbled to a third-day defeat in the series opener. A video of him leaving the Kolkata airport in a neck brace, visibly struggling to walk, underlined the seriousness of the injury and all but confirmed his unavailability for the next Test. Although he has since been discharged from hospital, his recovery timeline remains uncertain, and India must now prepare for a crucial match without their most dependable right-handed top-order batter.