Shubman Gill doubts for pink-ball Test in Adelaide: report

Last updated:November 27, 2024, 10:36 AM IST

Shubman Gill is battling a thumb injury that he sustained while running in the slips during India’s match simulation ahead of the first Test in Perth.

Shubman Gill is doubtful for the 2nd Test in Adelaide. (Image credit: AFP)

Indian batsman 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 also likely to miss the second Test. The second Test between India and Australia will be a day-night match and will be played with a pink ball at the Adelaide Oval from December 6 to 10.

According to a Times of India report on Wednesday (November 27), the 25-year-old right-hander, who made his Test debut for India against Australia in Melbourne on December 26, 2020, is questionable in Adelaide.

He is likely to miss the two-day pink-ball warm-up game in Canberra on November 30.

“Following this injury, Gill was advised by the specialist to rest for 10 to 14 days. He will not take part in the training game at the weekend and is currently questionable for the second test. Let’s see how much his injury has healed and how his finger feels. “Even after the wound heals, he will need some practice before he can play a Test match,” a source was quoted as saying.

Gill suffered the injury while wearing the slips during match simulation ahead of the first Test.

Recently, former Mumbai and India selector Jatin Paranjape had said that Gill might miss “two to three Tests” due to the injury.

“I know from previous experience that finger injuries, particularly like the one he suffered on his thumb, take two to four weeks to heal. So don’t be surprised if he misses two-three Test matches,” Paranjape had said.

Devdutt Padikkal batted at number 3 for India in the series opener but with the return of Rohit Sharma to the side, the left-handed batsman from Karnataka will 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 innings of the Perth Test, will line up at No. 3 in place of Padikkal.

India last played a pink-ball Test against Sri Lanka in March 2022.