India’s preparations for the second Test against South Africa in Guwahati have taken an unexpected turn with Shubman Gill being released from the squad and heading back to Mumbai. The young opener, who traveled with the team on November 19, skipped training on November 20 and is now set to rest for a few days before seeking specialist advice from Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala. As of now, there’s no confirmed visit planned to the BCCI Centre of Excellence, but clarity is expected in the coming days.
With Gill unavailable, Rishabh Pant will lead the side in what promises to be a crucial contest starting November 22. The team management faces some tough decisions on the Playing XI. As reported earlier, Sai Sudharsan and Nitish Kumar Reddy are frontrunners for selection, while Axar Patel may return to the bench. Training sessions ahead of the match have been light, with only KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Sudharsan taking part, while the rest of the squad took it easy.
India comes into this match after a heavy defeat in the first Test at Eden Gardens, where the pitch played a key role. The Guwahati wicket is expected to be more balanced, with red soil providing both turn and bounce. It won’t be as extreme as Eden, but it will certainly keep the spinners involved.
India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak reflected on the Eden pitch, saying, “Gautam took the blame on himself, and rightly so. No one wanted the surface to crumble the way it did. Sometimes, the weather, sometimes the soil…things just didn’t go as expected. It was a tough track, but lessons have been learned.”
With Pant at the helm and the team adjusting to the new conditions, India will look to bounce back strongly in Guwahati. The focus will be on making the right selections and adapting quickly to a pitch that offers a bit for everyone.
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