New Delhi, Nov 21 (IANS) After being ruled out of the second Test against South Africa in Guwahati, Shubman Gill will now head to Mumbai for further assessment of his neck injury, said the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Friday.

In Gill’s absence, wicketkeeper‑batter Rishabh Pant has been named as India’s captain for the second Test, which is a must-win for the hosts after losing the first Test in Kolkata by 30 runs. Gill had flown with the Indian team to Guwahati on November 19, but didn’t take part in the practice sessions due to a neck injury, which also needed hospitalisation in Kolkata.

“Team India captain Shubman Gill, who suffered a neck injury during the first Test against South Africa, has been ruled out of the second Test in Guwahati. Gill suffered a neck injury on Day 2 of the Kolkata Test and was taken to the hospital for examination after the end of day’s play.”

“He was kept under observation and discharged the next day. He travelled to Guwahati on 19th November, 2025. Unfortunately, he was not fully fit to feature in the 2nd Test and will head to Mumbai for further assessment of his injury. Rishabh Pant will lead the team in the 2nd Test in Gill’s absence,” said BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia in a statement.

It is understood that Gill boarded a flight to Mumbai from Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in the early hours of Friday morning. He is likely to consult Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala, Head – Centre for Sports Medicine, and Director – Arthroscopy & Shoulder Service at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Mumbai, for chalking out the further course of recovery from the neck injury.

Pardiwala is also overseeing the recovery of Shreyas Iyer, who was admitted to a hospital in Sydney for a spleen laceration, with internal bleeding, after clutching his ribcage post taking the catch of Alex Carey during India’s third ODI against Australia on October 25.

After being discharged from the hospital and continued recovery in Sydney, Iyer is back home in Mumbai, but will need a few more months to be fully match fit. For now, Gill is also in serious doubt to lead India in the subsequent ODI series against the Proteas, starting on November 30.

Meanwhile, Pant will become India’s 38th Test captain and just the second wicketkeeper-batter after MS Dhoni to lead the side in the longer format. Pant had previously led India in a five-match T20I series against South Africa in June 2022.

Pant is now set to be India’s seventh Test captain in the last five years and his task will be to ensure India gets a series-levelling win in Guwahati, becoming India’s 30th Test venue.

–IANS

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