Shubman Gill Hospitalised In Kolkata, 6-Member Board Formed For Treatment | Cricket News

Shubman Gill (left) leaves the field after being retired hurt. (AP Photo)

Indian captain Shubman Gill is unlikely to participate on the third day of the Eden Gardens Test against South Africa on Sunday (November 16), News18 CricketNext has reliably learned. The 26-year-old was taken to the Woodlands Hospital by ambulance, wearing a cervical collar, just hours after retiring hurt during his brief innings.

He’s being treated by Dr Saptarshi Basu. According to hospital sources, an MRI scan was conducted after he was brought to the hospital. A six-member medical board has since been formed. The team includes two neuro-medicine specialists, one neurosurgery specialist, one cardiologist, one critical-care specialist, and one general-medicine specialist.

Gill looked visibly uncomfortable during his short stay at the crease on the second day, managing only four runs off three balls before retiring hurt and walking off while holding his neck. The BCCI initially termed it a “neck spasm” and said he was under observation, but concern grew once it emerged he had been taken to the hospital by ambulance.

Bowling coach Morne Morkel downplayed suggestions that Gill’s relentless cross-format workload had triggered the issue. Morkel said the discomfort was likely the result of “a bad night’s sleep” rather than accumulated fatigue, insisting Gill is “very fit” and meticulous with his conditioning.

“Yeah, I think we first need to determine how he got the neck stiffness, maybe just a bad night’s sleep,” Morkel said, when asked if Gill’s packed multi-format calendar was a factor, as quoted by PTI. “I don’t think it’s, or we can put it down to the load,” he added.

“Gill is a very fit guy, he looks after himself very well, so it’s just unfortunate this morning that he woke up with a stiff neck and that carried him into the day, which was crucial for us. Another sort of partnership with him batting around was going to be needed for us at the time, and… just bad timing,” he said.

Gill has played every international since taking over the Test and ODI captaincy and even featured in the recent Australia T20Is while most senior red-ball players were rested.

With Rishabh Pant leading the side in his absence, India still holds control of the Test, reducing South Africa to 93/7 by stumps on Day 2 with a 63-run lead.

However, if Gill is unable to come out to bat, India will be a batter short and will need to tweak the order. Pant batted at number five and Dhruv Jurel at six in the first innings.