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Shubman Gill is dealing with a thumb injury that he suffered while fielding in the slips during India’s match simulation in the buildup to the first Test in Perth.
Shubman Gill is doubtful for 2nd Test in Adelaide. (Picture Credit: AFP)
Star Indian batter Shubman Gill, who missed the first Test of the ongoing five-match series between India and Australia at Optus Stadium in Perth due to a thumb injury, is likely to miss the second Test as well. The second Test between India and Australia will be a day-night game and will be played with a pink ball from December 6 to 10 at Adelaide Oval.
According to a report in the Times of India on Wednesday (November 27), the 25-year-old right-handed batter, who made his Test debut for India on December 26, 2020, against Australia in Melbourne, is doubtful for the match in Adelaide.
He is all set to miss the two-day pink ball warm-up match in Canberra from November 30.
“Gill was advised a 10-14 day rest by the medical specialist after suffering that injury. He won’t play in the practice match on the weekend and is doubtful at the moment for the second Test too. Let’s see how much his injury has healed and how his finger feels. Even after it has healed, he’ll need some quality practice before playing a Test match,” a source was quoted as saying.
Gill suffered the injury while fielding in the slips during the match simulation in the build-up to the first Test.
Recently, former Mumbai and India selector Jatin Paranjape had said that Gill could end up missing “two to three Tests” due to the injury.
“I know from past experience that finger injuries, especially like the one he has suffered to the thumb, take two to four weeks to heal, so don’t be surprised if he misses two to three Test matches,” Paranjape had said.
Devdutt Padikkal batted at No. 3 for India in the series opener, but with the return of Rohit Sharma to the side, the left-handed batter from Karnataka is set to lose his place in the playing XI. In all likelihood, Rohit will open the innings for India in Adelaide along with Yashasvi Jaiswal, and KL Rahul, who scored a half-century in the second inning of the Perth Test, will come out to bat at No. 3 in place of Padikkal.
India last played a pink-ball Test in March 2022 against Sri Lanka.
