Kolkata, Nov 16 (NationPress) India's Test captain Shubman Gill has been discharged from a Kolkata hospital where he received treatment for a neck spasm that occurred during the first Test against South Africa. However, his availability for the upcoming second Test in Guwahati, starting on Saturday, remains uncertain.

Despite a training session planned in Kolkata on Tuesday morning, ESPNcricinfo reports that Gill is unlikely to participate. The team is set to depart for Guwahati on Wednesday, and due to the nature of his injury, commercial flights are generally not advised for those recovering from neck issues, making it doubtful that Gill will travel with the team.

Following India's 30-run loss in a low-scoring match, head coach Gautam Gambhir stated that Gill is still undergoing assessment, with further evaluations from the medical team expected. India's batting lineup was noticeably weakened in the fourth innings due to Gill's absence, leading to a collapse as they were bowled out for just 93 while chasing a modest target of 124.

“It was challenging because we knew we were down a player,” Gambhir remarked after the match. “Losing two wickets before lunch left us effectively three down. We believed that with a couple of good partnerships, we could have remained competitive.”

If Gill is unable to play in Guwahati, India may consider bringing in B Sai Sudharsan or Devdutt Padikkal. Sudharsan had shown promise with scores of 87 and 39 against the West Indies but has had limited success for India A against South Africa A. Padikkal, who has previously played in Tests during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, has had a mixed record on the India A tour.

If no other changes are made, the playing XI could feature seven left-handed batsmen. The first Test already showcased six left-handers, a record for India, which South African spinner Simon Harmer exploited, taking six of his eight wickets against them. Part-time off-spinner Aiden Markram also managed to dismiss a left-handed batsman.

Gill had been taken to the hospital after retiring hurt in India’s first innings, having faced merely three balls. The BCCI confirmed on the third day that he would not return for the match. This injury comes amidst ongoing workload management for Gill, who has been active across formats since the IPL 2025 and traveled directly from Australia to Kolkata after the T20I series.