By Shamik Chakrabarty in Kolkata
RevSportz wants to reiterate that Shubman Gill is all but ruled out of the second Test between India and South Africa starting on November 22. The India captain is travelling with the squad to Guwahati today to continue with his recovery process under the BCCI medical team. But to play in Guwahati, he needs to perform a medical miracle. As this website already reported, Gill will start neck exercises in a day. After that, according to specialists, it will take him at least 5–7 days to be fit.
India need to fill the No. 4 slot in their skipper’s absence, and the obvious choice to replace him is Sai Sudharsan. The Tamil Nadu batter was dropped for the first Test in Kolkata, as the team management chose to alter the playing combination. Washington Sundar was made the makeshift No. 3 and he batted the longest on an Eden Gardens minefield.
Washington was the only Indian batter to face more than 50 balls in both innings, 82 in the first dig and 92 in the second. However, it is learnt that Sai returning to the team will see him take his customary No. 3 slot, with his state-mate Washington moving down the order. Dhruv Jurel could bat at No. 4, similar to the second innings at Eden, when he was promoted to fill in for the injured Gill in that position.
Sai returning to the side doesn’t solve India’s left-handers overload problem. The hosts had six left-handers in their batting line-up in Kolkata, which proved to be a bee in their bonnet against Simon Harmer on a raging turner. Of the eight wickets that the South African off-spinner took in the first Test, six were southpaws.
The Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee hasn’t made any squad additions for the second Test. But Nitish Kumar Reddy, who was released before the first Test to play for India A, is re-joining the side. His inclusion gives the team a right-hander option down the order. In Kolkata, India opted for an extra spin-bowling all-rounder in Axar Patel. Whether a seam-bowling all-rounder, Reddy, replaces him will depend on the conditions.
In the land of early sunrise, and also early sunset, the game will have a 9 am start. Tea will be taken after the first session, while luncheon is scheduled at the end of the second session. In mid-November, the Guwahati air will have a bit of nip as well. Both overhead and underfoot conditions will be taken into account before India finalise their playing XI.
Also, the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati will have red-soil pitches. From that point of view, maybe it was remiss of the team management not to reach the city early rather than having one more practice session on the black-soil pitches at Eden on Tuesday. Then again, the think-tank is the best judge.
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