Skipper Shubman Gill has been ruled out of the second Test in Guwahati starting Saturday. Sustaining a neck injury during the first Test in Kolkata and, despite traveling with the squad to Assam, he has not recovered sufficiently to take the field. In his absence, wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant will lead the side. Left-handed batter Sai Sudharsan is expected to replace Gill in the playing XI to fill the void at the top of the order.
The 26-year-old opener injured his neck while batting on Day 2 at Eden Gardens, forcing him to retire hurt immediately after hitting a sweep shot for four. He was subsequently taken to a Kolkata hospital for scans and missed the remainder of the match, including India’s failed chase of 124 runs.
Although he was discharged the following day and spotted at the airport without a neck brace, the medical team advised against playing him due to the risk of aggravation. A BCCI release issued on Wednesday stated, “Shubman has been responding well to the medical treatment provided and will travel to Guwahati with the team on 19th November, 2025.”
Reports indicate that while Gill was desperate to play in this must-win encounter, the physical intensity of a five-day match was deemed too high a risk. He is set to begin neck exercises immediately, with recovery and rehabilitation expected to take another week to ten days.
This timeline places his participation in the upcoming ODI series, beginning November 30 in Ranchi, in doubt, though he may return for the T20 leg. The management remains cautious about rushing him back, particularly with ODI vice-captain Shreyas Iyer also recovering from his own injury setback.
With the captain unavailable, India will turn to 24-year-old Sai Sudharsan, who made his debut in England last June. The left-hander has featured in five Tests so far, scoring 273 runs at an average of 30.33, and the management believes his temperament is well-suited for this high-stakes scenario.
The squad, including Sudharsan, Dhruv Jurel, Akash Deep, Ravindra Jadeja, and Devdutt Padikkal, attended an optional practice session at Eden Gardens on Tuesday before departing for Assam. The team has also drafted Nitish Kumar Reddy into the squad as they prepare for a red-soil surface expected to offer turn and bounce.
The match in Guwahati marks a historic moment for the venue as it hosts its first-ever Test, accompanied by a unique adjustment to playing conditions. Play is scheduled to start at 9 a.m. daily, and in a first for Test cricket history, the tea break will be taken before the lunch break. With the series on the line and a 0-1 deficit to overturn, Pant’s leadership and India’s ability to regroup without their regular skipper will be crucial factors in the decider.