Shubman Gill was given the captaincy of the Test side when India made their trip to England for the five-match Test series with two veterans of the game, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, retiring from the longest format just a month ago during the 2025 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Keeping the future of the ODI format in mind, the selectors decided to hand over the 50-over leadership to Shubman Gill ahead of the Australia series away from home. Only the T20I format belongs to Suryakumar Yadav as the captain. Sourav Ganguly, the former Indian captain, wondered why they can’t take that move either.

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“I was sitting at the Eden Gardens, and somebody came to tell me Do you think that Shubman Gill should be the captain of the T20Is? I said that I think he should be the captain of every team. He is so good. And I thought that three months ago, this fellow was in England, and he was batting gold. He got into a fight with the captaincy, even with no Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and experience in the side.” Ganguly expressed in a recent podcast.

Watch: Sourav Ganguly wants Shubman Gill to be captain of India’s T20I side

Gill is currently out of action, having picked up a neck injury during the opening Test of the two-match series against the Proteas at Eden Gardens and missed the ongoing ODI series. However, he is likely to be back for the five-match T20I series later on.

🚨 “Shubman Gill should be captain of everything, because he is so good.” says Sourav Ganguly. 🚨 pic.twitter.com/36j5M1fzhY

— Ahmed Says (@AhmedGT_) December 6, 2025

“And now, suddenly, after three months, you are asking questions. That’s the mindset of the people. And that’s what happens, you make decisions. You have to be patient. And as you rightfully said, you have to give someone full-time to become better.” Ganguly addressed in the video.

The Punjab batter has overall smashed 837 runs in 33 innings at an average of under 30 with a strike rate of over 140 with the help of three half-centuries and one century. He aims to be part of the home T20 World Cup 2026 next year.

The first of the 3-match ODI series is underway in Ranchi (IND vs SA 1st ODI). After losing the 2-match Test series by 0-2, India is up against South Africa in the 50-over format match. In the first match, KL Rahul is assigned as the skipper of Team India. But where is Shubman Gill? Why is he not playing the important match? 

Shubman Gill is the regular captain of India's ODI and Test teams. As he and Shreyas Iyer are not available in IND vs SA 1st ODI, Rahul is playing the game as the stand-in skipper. Gill is out of action due to injury. He received the injury in the first Test match against South Africa at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

During the batting in the first innings of the match, he injured his neck while playing a sweep shot for a boundary. Right after playing the shot, Gill felt pain in his neck and left the field after a while. Since then, the top-order batter has been out of action. Currently, he is recovering from the injury. Before the beginning of the IND vs SA ODI series, Team India bowling coach Morne Morkel provided an update on Gill's medical condition.

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Why is Shubman Gill not playing India vs South Africa 1st ODI in Ranchi

"I think the best is for the medical team to give that update. I spoke to Shubman two days ago just to check in with him, and he is recovering well. So, that is pleasing to hear," Morkel informed. 

Iyer is out from the match because of a rib injury. He is now under rehab. "Shreyas has also started his rehab, which is great. So, we are looking forward to welcoming them back into the squad. The good thing is that they are healthy, and they are starting their preparation on their way back into the team," Morkel said about Iyer's current condition. 

Playing XIs:

South Africa: Aiden Markram (C), Ryan Rickelton, Quinton de Kock (WK), Matthew Breetzke, Tony de Zorzi, Dewald Brevis, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Prenelan Subrayen, Nandre Burger, and Ottneil Baartman.

India: Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Washington Sundar, KL Rahul (C/WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, and Prasidh Krishna.

India are preparing for an important white-ball assignment in South Africa, but the biggest concern for the selectors right now is Shubman Gill’s fitness. The young opener, who also took over India’s ODI captaincy earlier this year, is expected to miss the upcoming three-match ODI series due to a neck injury sustained during the Kolkata Test. While Gill is unavailable for the second Test in Guwahati, reports suggest he will also sit out of the ODIs starting November 30 in Ranchi.

Selectors Ajit Agarkar, RP Singh and Devajit Saikia are set to meet in Guwahati for discussions before officially naming the squads for both ODIs and T20Is. The meeting takes place in the middle of the Test series, and several factors are complicating decisions, including ongoing injury concerns for multiple senior players. Hardik Pandya is still recovering, Shreyas Iyer is ruled out until March due to a spleen laceration, and now Gill’s continued absence has made the captaincy slot vacant.

Rahul, Pant or Axar? India weigh leadership choices for South Africa ODIs

According to BCCI sources quoted in PTI and Times of India reports, Gill has been advised additional rest by medical specialists and will not be rushed back. The board, however, remains optimistic that he will return for the five-match T20I series that follows.

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With Gill sidelined, three names have emerged as the frontrunners to lead India in the ODIs: KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant and Axar Patel. Rahul has prior leadership experience in the format and remains a stable middle-order option. Pant, who is already captaining the Test team in Gill’s absence in Guwahati, could continue his leadership in white-ball cricket as well. Meanwhile, Axar Patel’s steady rise as a multi-format contributor has seen him enter the captaincy conversation too.

Veteran stars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are expected to feature in the ODIs, adding much-needed experience to the squad. In terms of replacements for Gill, options like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad could come into play, depending on team balance and combinations.

The focus now shifts to the selectors’ upcoming announcement, which will reveal how India plan to tackle the challenge of a South African tour without several key players, and who steps up to take charge.

The Indian cricket team landed in Guwahati on Wednesday, hoping to put behind the disappointment of their loss in the opening Test against South Africa at Eden Gardens. The second and final Test of the series will be historic, marking the first-ever Test match at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Assam. But India’s preparation has been overshadowed by skipper Shubman Gill’s injury setback, which has left the top order looking vulnerable.

Gill injured his neck while batting on Day 2 in Kolkata and was unable to take the field thereafter. He did not bat in India’s second innings either, as the hosts crumbled in a chase of 124, handing South Africa a rare victory on Indian soil. The defeat hurt India’s proud home record and exposed gaps in their batting, now further stretched with Gill’s unavailability.

A video of India’s arrival in Guwahati surfaced on social media with Gill seen without a neck brace but still struggling to move his head comfortably. According to reports from the Indian Express, the 26-year-old has been ruled out of the Guwahati Test beginning Saturday. Vice-captain Rishabh Pant will step up to lead the side, while young left-hander Sai Sudharsan is likely to be drafted into the playing XI.

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Pressure on Middle Order as India Eye Redemption After Eden Gardens Setback

The BCCI issued a statement confirming that Gill is recovering well but will continue to be monitored by the medical team. “A decision on his participation in the 2nd Test will be taken accordingly,” the board had initially stated, but the latest update suggests India will not risk their captain as the injury remains sensitive.

India now face a must-win situation to level the short series. With home pride at stake and several batting concerns to address, Rohit Sharma’s absence and Gill’s injury leave a heavy responsibility on the middle order. The team had an optional training session with Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Akash Deep and Devdutt Padikkal among those who hit the nets.

Play will begin at 9 a.m. on all five days, with a unique twist in scheduling, tea will be taken before lunch for the first time in Test cricket history. India will hope the change brings a spark as they seek redemption in Guwahati.

New Zealand star Daryl Mitchell has climbed to the top of the ICC Men’s ODI Batting Rankings, ending Rohit Sharma’s brief stay at No.1. Mitchell’s rise comes on the back of his match-winning century (119) in the first ODI against the West Indies in Christchurch, where the Black Caps edged home by seven runs.

The in-form right-hander now sits on 782 rating points, just one ahead of Rohit, who had held the top spot for close to three weeks. In the process, Mitchell becomes only the second New Zealander to be ranked No.1 in ODI batting, the first since Glenn Turner achieved the feat way back in 1979.

Latest ICC ODI Batting Rankings - Top 5

Mitchell joins an elite Kiwi list that includes Martin Crowe, Andrew Jones, Roger Twose, Nathan Astle, Kane Williamson, Martin Guptill, and Ross Taylor, all of whom have previously featured in the top five but never reached No.1.

ALSO SEE: BCCI releases official fitness update on Shubman Gill ahead of IND vs SA 2nd Test in Guwahati

Pakistan also enjoyed major ranking boosts following their 3-0 sweep of Sri Lanka. Mohammad Rizwan jumped five places to 22nd while Fakhar Zaman climbed to 26th. On the bowling front, rising spinner Abrar Ahmed surged into ninth, and Haris Rauf moved to 23rd, although Rashid Khan continues to lead the ODI bowlers.

Test rankings shake-up after Kolkata clash

The first Test between India and South Africa at Eden Gardens brought updates across formats. Proteas captain Temba Bavuma broke into the top five Test batters for the first time after his unbeaten 55 steered South Africa home. India’s Shubman Gill moved up to 11th despite suffering an injury.

Jasprit Bumrah remains the No.1 Test bowler, with strong support from Kuldeep Yadav (13th) and Ravindra Jadeja (15th). South Africa’s Marco Jansen climbed to 11th among bowlers and fifth in Test all-rounders after a solid outing.

With New Zealand celebrating a rare No.1 ranking and India locked in an intense Test battle, the race across ICC charts is heating up as the cricket calendar enters a crucial phase.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has released a vital fitness update on their captain, Shubman Gill, ahead of the second Test between India and South Africa at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati. The Blue Brigade would head into the encounter with a 30-run defeat during the opening Test at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. 

Gill came into the middle with the bat during the morning session of the second day against South Africa and played a lovely sweep for a boundary before feeling the pain in his neck as the physio decided to take him off the field. He didn’t return to the middle despite their need in the second and first innings.

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“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.” The BCCI released the official statement.

Shubman Gill to be monitored by BCCI ahead of IND vs SA 2nd Test

Gill has been in tremendous form during their previous trip to England in the five-match series, where he marched on to celebrate four centuries and continued the solid form during the two-match home Test series against the West Indies in Ahmedabad and Delhi. BCCI revealed how they would keep monitoring their captain.

“Shubman has been responding well to the medical treatment provided and will travel to Guwahati with the team on 19th November, 2025. He will continue to be monitored by the BCCI medical team, and a decision on his participation in the 2nd Test will be taken accordingly.” The statement informed.

Gill is very unlikely to feature in the second Test match as India could look to bring back Sai Sudharsan in the playing eleven at number three and either drop Washington Sundar at number four or inject the right-handed batter, Nitish Kumar Reddy, in the eleven, for the clash. They would need to earn a victory to complete the drawn series, having already lost four of their last six home Tests.

On Tuesday (November 18), Team India arranged an optional training session for the upcoming India vs South Africa 2nd Test match at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati. Glimpses of the training session have been surfacing on social media platforms. 

South Africa is currently leading the 2-match Test series by 1-0 after the Eden Gardens Test match, as they defeated India by 30 runs in a low-scoring match. Despite a target of only 124 runs, the home team batters failed miserably and allowed the visiting team to take the lead. The second and the final match of the series will be a do-or-die assignment for the Men in Blue. To level the series, they will have to win the match. Otherwise, another loss or draw will secure the trophy for the South Africa cricket team, who are the defending champions of the World Test Championship (WTC). 

During the optional training session, Washington Sundar, who was mostly utilized as a batter in the previous match, came to bowl first in the nets. Sundar, mostly known for his spin bowling abilities, was used mostly as a batter in Kolkata. For batting practice, Sai Sudharsan and Devdutt Padikkal were present in the field as well. Dhruv Jurel spent a good amount of time working on batting skills. He looked well during the batting practice. 

Read More:  Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer injured — Will Rohit Sharma make a captaincy comeback in IND vs SA ODI series?

Optional trainning session of team India ahead of IND vs SA 2nd Test match

India begins its optional practice session at the Eden Gardens.

Washington Sundar, who was largely unused with the ball in the first Test, is the first to bowl in the nets.

Sai Sudharsan and Devdutt Padikkal about to have a bat. @sportstarweb pic.twitter.com/uPyPhUTc4f

— Pranay Rajiv (@iraiva4716) November 18, 2025

Team India is expected to make some changes in the playing combination during the second Test match in Guwahati. Shubman Gill is uncertain for the match. If he is unable to play, then the team management will have to find a suitable option to fill up the void. In place of Gill, Sudharsan or Padikkal can be a good option. The India vs. South Africa 2nd Test match is scheduled to be played from November 22. 

On the turning track of Eden Gardens, India deployed 4 spinners—Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar. Will Gautam Gambhir and Co. follow the same formula in the second game? It'll be interesting to see, as the 4-spinner combination did not work according to plans properly. 

India is expected to be without their Test captain and number three batter, Shubman Gill, for the upcoming second Test of the two-match series against South Africa at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati, as the right-handed batter was admitted to Woodland Hospital during the opening Kolkata Test and is likely to get more rest after being discharged. 

The Indian Test captain came at number three during the first innings of the opening game and played a lovely sweep over the square leg region for a boundary. But soon after standing on his feet after playing the shot, Gill held his neck and felt pain as the physio rushed onto the ground and decided to take the batter out of the field.

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Many expected the Punjab-born to return for the first innings or even in the second innings, but nothing like that happened. Under Rishabh Pant’s captaincy for the rest of the fixture, the home side faced a 30-run defeat, having been bundled out for 93 in the fourth innings of the game.

Who will be India’s new ODI captain in case of Shubman Gill’s injury vs South Africa?

Gill is expected to be ready for the upcoming three-match ODI series against the Proteas, starting on November 30. But if he doesn’t, then the management will need to find a replacement for the position. Gill recently replaced Rohit Sharma as the new ODI captain during their previous away ODI series against Australia down under.

If Gill stays injured, then one of KL Rahul or Pant is likely to lead the Blue Brigade in the 50-over format. The latter is unlikely for the role, given that he is not certain of the position. Or else, the management could think of going back to Rohit for the 50-over captaincy, which is also unlikely.

This ODI series will be the return of both Rohit and Kohli in the 50-over format since the home series against England at the start of the year. In between this, they featured in the Champions Trophy 2025 and the away series.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and team management have recalled India’s young batting all-rounder, Nitish Kumar Reddy, as the replacement of the injured captain Shubman Gill ahead of the second Test of the two-match series against South Africa at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati. 

India got bundled out for 93 runs in the fourth innings in a chase of 124 runs as Simon Harmer picked up four wickets in the second innings. The Blue Brigade has slipped into the fourth position of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 as the Proteas stayed at the second position to strengthen their position as the defending champions.

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“A call on Shubham Gill will be taken in the next 24 hours. BCCI doesn't want to rush in Gill's case, and with the consultation of doctors, a call on him will be taken. As of now, it's tough to say that he will play the second Test, but let’s see how he progresses in the next medical scan. If required, he will be given proper time and rest.” The top BCCI insider expressed, as quoted by the Sports Tak.

Nitish Kumar Reddy to join India as Shubman Gill’s replacement for IND vs SA Guwahati Test

Reddy has been released from the India A vs South Africa A unofficial ODI series as he got the prized wicket of Delano Potgeiter, who scored 90 in the opening fixture. Reddy also contributed with a 26-ball 37 in the run chase of 287 runs to earn the victory.

Meanwhile, Gill walked at number three on the second morning session of the Kolkata Test and swept the fourth ball over the square leg for a boundary. Immediately after the lovely shot, he stood on his feet and straightaway felt pain in his neck as the physio decided to carry the batter out of the field.

In Gill’s absence, Rishabh Pant led the Indian side for the rest of the clash and is likely to don the captain’s blazer for the upcoming clash as they look forward to making a memorable comeback in the upcoming game.

The Shubman Gill-led Indian team will head to Guwahati for a high-stakes battle as they face a must-win clash in the second Test against South Africa, starting November 22 at the Barsapara Stadium. India are staring at the possibility of being whitewashed at home for the second straight year, making this fixture one of their most crucial red-ball outings in recent memory.

All attention is on Gill’s fitness after India virtually played with 10 men in the Kolkata Test. The Indian captain suffered a neck injury while attempting a sweep shot, retiring hurt after just two balls. The 26-year-old was in visible agony, stretchered off the field, and later admitted to a hospital, where he stayed overnight. His absence proved costly as India fell to a shocking 30-run defeat, one of their most embarrassing home losses in Test history.

Will Gill Play in Guwahati?

Gill was discharged on Sunday evening, increasing hopes of a return. However, a viral video showing him in pain and wearing a cervical collar has raised fresh concerns. According to a report in The Times of India, Gill is expected to travel with the squad on Wednesday (November 19), or Thursday at the latest, provided the BCCI medical team does not advise against it.

Despite travelling, Gill’s participation remains uncertain. Medical staff are monitoring him closely, and he has been advised rest for now. A final decision will likely come closer to the match. If he is ruled out, Rishabh Pant is set to lead India for the first time in Test cricket. Pant has prior leadership experience, having captained India in five T20Is against South Africa in 2022.

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Abhinav Mukund Calls For Split Captaincy

In the aftermath of India’s defeat, former opener Abhinav Mukund voiced strong opposition to the idea of Gill becoming an all-format captain. Speaking on The Great Indian Cricket Show, Mukund said that managing all three formats under a single leader is no longer ideal in today’s demanding schedule.

He acknowledged Gill’s potential but stressed that “split captaincy is a smart move.” Mukund highlighted the intense pressure on Gill, especially with the South Africa series being a must-win at home. He believes dividing leadership responsibilities would help maintain balance and performance across formats.

Gill, who already leads India in Tests and ODIs and is tipped to take over T20Is post the 2026 World Cup, has risen rapidly through the leadership ranks. But with fitness concerns and mounting expectations, his biggest challenge may be just beginning.