India captain Shubman Gill was discharged from a Kolkata hospital on Sunday after a neck injury forced him out of the first Test against South Africa and left the hosts severely depleted in a 30-run defeat at Eden Gardens. Gill, who retired hurt after facing only three balls on Day 2, was diagnosed with a severe neck spasm and ruled out before the start of the third day’s play. His absence in the second innings proved costly as India folded for just 93, conceding a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Cricket Association of Bengal president Sourav Ganguly visited Gill at the Woodlands Multispeciality Hospital soon after the defeat, confirming the opener was stable but still under observation. While he has now been discharged, Gill’s availability for the second Test in Guwahati, beginning November 22, remains uncertain. As per reports, doctors have advised him to avoid commercial air travel during recovery, making it unlikely he will join the squad on their Wednesday flight. He is also expected to miss India’s final training session in Kolkata on Tuesday.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir admitted Gill’s absence deeply affected India’s chase. “It was tough because we always knew we were one down,” Gambhir said. “Losing two before lunch meant we were literally three down. A couple of partnerships could have put us in the game.”If Gill fails to recover in time, India may turn to B Sai Sudharsan or Devdutt Padikkal. Sudharsan had impressed earlier against the West Indies but struggled for India A recently, while Padikkal’s recent returns were modest. Any such change would leave India heavily stacked with left-handers — a concern after South Africa offspinner Simon Harmer dismissed six southpaws in the match.
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Gill’s injury comes amid an intense workload phase, following months of continuous cricket across formats. He had previously missed a Test in October 2024 due to a similar neck issue.Meanwhile, Ganguly weighed in on Eden Gardens’ spin-heavy surface, calling it “not the best Test wicket” but insisting India should still have overhauled the modest 124-run target. He also urged the team to return to grinding out victories over five days instead of relying on sharply turning tracks.The loss, India’s fourth at home in six Tests, has once again raised uncomfortable questions about the batting group’s struggles on rank turners — with Gill’s fitness now the biggest concern heading into Guwahati.
