Shubman Gill Returns to Team After Injury Rehab
India’s ODI and Test captain, Shubman Gill, rejoined his teammates on Sunday, December 7, following a rehabilitation stint at the BCCI Centre of Excellence. He had sustained a neck injury during the first Test against South Africa at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, which required a brief hospital stay.
Although discharged the next day, Gill continued to experience discomfort, leading to his absence from the remaining Test matches and the ODI series. His rehabilitation included progressive batting and ground conditioning exercises to help him recover effectively. Now fit and ready, Gill is back just in time for the upcoming five-match T20I series against South Africa.
In a recent video shared online, Gill was seen on the team bus next to his T20I opening partner, Abhishek Sharma.
Reports confirm that Gill has been declared fully fit and available for selection across all formats after successfully completing his rehab. Medical staff have noted that his recovery was monitored closely, and he met all necessary fitness standards for a return to competitive play.
The team felt Gill’s absence significantly during the Test series, which unfortunately ended in a 2-0 defeat against South Africa—their first series loss at home since 2000. He also missed the ODI series, where India managed a 2-1 victory.
The focus now shifts to the T20 format, with the five-match series starting on December 9 at Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. Under captain Suryakumar Yadav, India has not lost a series in this shorter format and will aim to maintain their clean record against South Africa, having recently triumphed over them in the T20 World Cup 2024 final as well as in an earlier away series.
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