Team India has suffered a major setback. ODI captain Shubman Gill has been ruled out of the three-match series against South Africa, starting November 30th.
Gill has been advised more rest as his injury has not yet fully healed.
Vacant captaincy, who will take over?
Shubman Gill returned to Mumbai from Guwahati on November 21st. Doctor Dinesh Pardiwala has advised him more rest.
But the good news is that he may be ready for the T20 series starting December 9th.
A checkup will take place next week. A BCCI official said, “Unfortunately, Gill will not be available for selection for the three ODIs vs South Africa. He has been advised more rest by the specialists and continues to be monitored by the BCCI medical team.”
How will the team function without both captain and vice-captain Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer? Iyer has been out for a long time. The senior selection committee will have to meet soon.
This meeting will be held in Guwahati. Players like KL Rahul, Axar Patel, and Rishabh Pant are in the running for the captaincy. Pant hasn’t played much in ODIs, but the management wants to revamp the format.
Left-handed batsmen entering the team
The team’s batting order is currently mostly right-handed. The management wants to bring in some left-handed players who can change the tempo of the game. Pant and Tilak Verma could compete at number 4.
With Iyer’s absence, Yashasvi Jaiswal will slot directly into the playing eleven. He will open in place of Gill.
On the Australia tour, only Axar Patel was left-handed in the top six. Now, Washington Sundar may get a promotion. The top three, Gill, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli are all right-handed. A left-right combination is essential.
Jasprit Bumrah may be rested. He played in the last four Tests and five T20Is against Australia. He did not play in the ODIs. The T20I combination needs to be finalized before the T20 World Cup.
Kuldeep Yadav may be getting married, so he may miss the match. The BCCI still needs clarity.
The series will see a new strategy. Left-handed players will provide balance. Gill’s speedy recovery will be beneficial for the team. The BCCI medical team is constantly monitoring his condition.
