India’s opening Test didn’t just go south, it toppled like a stack of dominoes the moment Shubman Gill’s neck injury forced the skipper off the field. His sudden exit left India rattled, and before anyone could steady the ship, South Africa wrapped up a 30-run win. With the must-win Guwahati Test looming, fans can’t stop asking the same thing: will Shubman Gill play 2nd Test?
Shubman Gill’s Injury Update
Gill’s injury happened in the most ordinary way, a sweep shot, a boundary, and then immediate, sharp pain shooting through his neck. He collapsed to the turf, clutching the side of his neck, and had to be stretchered off. His absence snowballed into disaster: India, chasing just 124, fell apart spectacularly and lost by 30 runs. It was their first defeat at Eden Gardens in 13 years, and the timing could not have been worse. As for his medical status, we don’t need to rely on speculation. Here’s the full and unchanged BCCI statement, quoted exactly as required:
“Team India captain Shubman Gill suffered a neck injury on Day 2 of the Kolkata Test against South Africa and was taken to the hospital for examination after the end of the day’s play. He was kept under observation and discharged the next day. Shubman has been responding well to the medical treatment provided and will travel to Guwahati with the team on 19th November, 2025.”
Despite travelling without a neck brace, the mood shifted once the team reached Assam. Fresh assessments suggested caution, leaving everyone still wondering: will Shubman Gill play 2nd Test? The truth is that Shubman Gill’s neck injury remains worrying, and the shadows hanging over the Guwahati Test haven’t lifted yet.
If Gill Sits Out, What Will India Do?
With Shubman Gill’s neck injury still clouding the build-up to the Guwahati Test, one thing is absolutely clear: if Gill doesn’t make the XI, Rishabh Pant will take over without question. There’s no debate, no suspense. Pant is the vice-captain, he’s fit, and the responsibility naturally falls to him. But the more intriguing part is who fills Gill’s batting slot.
Shubman Gill ruled out of the Guwahati Test.
– Rishabh Pant set to captain. (Express Sports). pic.twitter.com/gqX2C6E19s
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) November 19, 2025
Among the contenders, Sai Sudharsan remains the most likely option, but not a guaranteed one. His temperament is calm, his domestic form solid, and he already has recent contributions of 87 and 39 for India. Slotting him in would provide stability, but it also nudges India towards a heavily left-handed top order, something that might leave them exposed again to Simon Harmer, who thrived against left-handers in Kolkata. Still, in terms of readiness and the trust of team management, Sudharsan sits slightly ahead of the pack.
That said, he isn’t the only one in the conversation. Devdutt Padikkal offers elegance and consistency but is also left-handed, which only deepens the existing strategic imbalance. Nitish Kumar Reddy brings the much-needed right-handed option, along with seam-bowling utility, but the trade-off is inexperience and a less settled technique for red-ball cricket. India’s choices all come with caveats, and each one shapes the team’s balance differently as the Guwahati Test approaches under the cloud of Shubman Gill’s neck injury.
The Selection Puzzle
India’s real challenge isn’t simply replacing their captain — it’s replacing the shape of the side that Gill normally anchors. If Sudharsan is picked, India could field a top six stacked with left-handers, practically waving an invitation to South Africa’s off-spinners. That’s why the question will Shubman Gill play 2nd Test matters not just emotionally but tactically: his absence forces India into picking between imperfect solutions.
🚨 BREAKING 🚨
Medical advice suggests Shubman Gill should not travel, as it could aggravate the injury and pose a long-term risk. He is still expected to join the team to lift morale as captain and leader. That said, his chances of playing the Test are negligible, it would take… pic.twitter.com/KqbqrAlhi6
— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) November 19, 2025
India could also consider shifting their allrounder combination. For instance, dropping a spin-bowling allrounder to accommodate both Sudharsan and a right-hander, but that risks weakening the bowling attack. So the selectors stand at an uncomfortable crossroads:
Sudharsan: stability but too many lefties.
Padikkal: form but the same left-hand issue.
Reddy: right-handed balance but a gamble.
Waiting desperately for Gill: the ideal, but his neck injury may not cooperate.
Whichever way they turn, India’s XI for the Guwahati Test will look different, and possibly vulnerable, unless Gill makes an unexpected late recovery. And until that is confirmed, every team meeting will start with the same lingering question: will Shubman Gill play 2nd Test?
