Shubman Gill has been ruled out of the upcoming ODI series against South Africa due to a neck injury sustained during the first Test match in Kolkata. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is scheduled to hold a selection meeting on November 23 in Mumbai to finalize the white-ball squads for the series. With Gill unavailable, the selectors are now considering options for captaincy, with KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant emerging as the frontrunners.
The three-match ODI series is set to begin on November 30 in Ranchi, followed by matches in Raipur on December 3 and Visakhapatnam on December 6. The five-match T20I series will commence on December 9, with matches scheduled in Cuttack, Mullanpur, Dharamsala, Lucknow, and Ahmedabad.
Gill's injury occurred on Day 2 of the Kolkata Test, where he suffered a neck injury. He was subsequently taken to the hospital for examination and was kept under observation. The BCCI has stated that Gill will head to Mumbai for further assessment of his injury. Sources indicate that the Indian team management is unwilling to risk Gill's fitness, considering the packed international schedule ahead, and he may be rested as a precaution.
KL Rahul has prior experience captaining India in ODIs, having led the team in 12 matches, winning 9 of them. In those matches, he has scored 302 runs at an average of 33.55 with four fifties. Rishabh Pant, on the other hand, has captained India in five T20Is but has not yet captained the team in the 50-over format. Pant last played an ODI in August 2024 against Sri Lanka.
With Shreyas Iyer also sidelined due to a rib injury, the leadership options are limited. Iyer, who was Gill's deputy in the ODI format, is expected to remain out of action until March. Selectors are also mulling over left-handed options like Pant, Tilak Varma and Washington Sundar to rebalance the middle order.
According to a BCCI source, Gill has been advised to rest more by specialists and will continue to be monitored by the BCCI medical team. It is also suggested that Gill might skip the ODI series to be fit for the T20Is against South Africa.
The selection meeting on November 23 will determine who will lead the ODI squad in Gill's absence. Besides Rahul and Pant, veteran Rohit Sharma is also an option, though sources suggest he is unlikely to return as captain. Axar Patel and Hardik Pandya could also be considered for the role. However, Pandya is likely to miss the South Africa ODI series to manage his recovery and workload.
In Gill's potential absence, Yashasvi Jaiswal is likely to open the innings with Rohit Sharma. Ruturaj Gaikwad is expected to be added to the squad as a backup opener, given his excellent form in the unofficial ODIs for India A against South Africa A. The final decision on the captain and the squad is expected to be announced soon after the selection meeting.
