Why is Shubman Gill Not Playing in 2nd Test Against South Africa?

The final Test match between India and South Africa is scheduled on November 22 in Guwahati. The game started at 9 AM in the morning which is 30 minutes between the usual timing. Since the run rises and sets early in the east, the Test match timings are different in Guwahati. Not only that, the session timings have also changed. The lunch session will happen in the afternoon, while tea is shifted to the morning. The match will end at 4 PM every day. The players are looking excited for the shift in the timings, as Sai Sudharsan mentioned during the pre-match press conference.

South Africa has taken a lead in the series by winning the first match by 30 runs in Kolkata. Temba Bavuma's responsible batting and Simon Harmer's stunning bowling spells helped the Proteas win the match. The pitch favored the bowlers more and had uneven bounce, and hence, received much criticism after the match ended in three days. Kolkata hosted a Test match after six years and was expected to provide some entertainment for cricket lovers for failed miserably. Meanwhile, the upcoming Test match is extremely crucial for the Indian team, but they received a huge blow ahead of the 2nd Test where one of the best test batsman in the world will be missing the match for India.

Shubham Gill Ruled Out of 2nd Test against South Africa

India's star batter and captain, Shubman Gill, has been ruled out of the second Test match due to the neck injury that he sustained in the first match. The batter did come out to bat in the first innings but faced just three deliveries before getting retired hurt. BCCI gave an update on Shubman Gill injury and ruled him out of the Test. While he travelled with the team to Guwahati, Gill will still miss the match.

A few reports mentioned that the 26-year-old batter wanted to play the match, but unfortunately, BCCI didn't want to take any risks. Rishabh Pant is all set to lead the team in the upcoming match, becoming the 38th Indian test captain. Nitish Kumar Reddy is Shubman Gill replacement in the playing XI. The young batter is in form and would like to continue it to cement his place in the team.

Why is IND vs SA 2nd Test significant?

The first Test loss against South Africa cost India their position in the World Test Championship (WTC) points table. They slipped from third place to fourth. If India loses another match, their points will be affected severely, leading to a missed opportunity to enter the WTC final contendership.

Moreover, Rishabh Pant's captaincy and decisions were questioned in the previous match. So it will be important for him to prove his worth as a captain. Despite leading many teams in the past, captaining one of the best cricket team in the world is difficult. Hence, he has some answers to give in the upcoming match. Overall, the game will be crucial and interesting at the same time, making it a good contest.