Kolkatta: In a shocking turn on the second day of the India-South Africa Test at Eden Gardens, Indian captain Shubman Gill’s spirited knock was cut short by a nagging neck injury, plunging Team India into uncertainty and casting a shadow over their dominant display.
The 26-year-old opener, who has been a pillar of stability in the batting line-up, retired hurt after just three balls, exacerbating pre-existing discomfort that had plagued him since dawn.
It was a moment of high drama in the first innings. With India chasing stability after Washington Sundar’s dismissal, Gill strode out confidently, dispatching the third delivery — a sweep off Proteas spinner Keshav Maharaj — for a boundary. But triumph turned to torment as excruciating pain gripped his neck, forcing him to yank off his helmet. The physio rushed in, and a grim Gill trudged back to the pavilion, leaving the innings to fold at nine wickets down.
Batting coach Sitanshu Kotak later revealed the injury stemmed from morning stiffness in the neck’s posterior, worsened by the aggressive shot. “It was unfortunate; he felt it since waking but insisted on batting,” Kotak said, underscoring the youngster’s grit.
Post-session, Gill was promptly admitted to Woodlands Hospital here for overnight observation and medication. The BCCI has not yet provided an update on the severity, but the scan results are concerning. His availability for the second innings hangs in the balance, with whispers of a potential miss for the Guwahati decider starting November 21. As South Africa toiled under Indian pressure, Gill’s setback threatened to tilt the scales, reminding cricket of its cruel whimsy that even the brightest stars can flicker out mid-flight.