KOLKATA: India captain Shubman Gill was “under observation” in hospital Sunday after suffering neck pain and will take no further part in the first Test against South Africa.
Top-order batsman Gill felt pain in his neck after scoring a boundary on the second day on Saturday in Kolkata and left the field.
Gill “was taken to the hospital for examination after the end of day’s play,” said the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), on Sunday ahead of start of the third day.
“He is currently under observation in the hospital. He will take no further part in the Test match. He will continue to be monitored by the BCCI medical team.”
The first match of the two-Test series looks likely to end on day three at Eden Gardens on Sunday, with South Africa to resume at 93-7 in their second innings, a lead of just 63 runs, on tricky batting wicket.
Gill faces a battle to be fit to lead the side in the second Test in Guwahati, which is due to begin in six days’ time on November 22.
Veteran spinner Ravindra Jadeja took four wickets to put India in sight of victory on a manic day two of a low-scoring opening Test on Saturday.
South Africa were 93-7 at stumps to lead by 63 runs in their second innings on an Eden Gardens pitch that has made batting decidedly tricky.
Fifteen wickets fell during the second day and KL Rahul’s 39 – from 119 balls – in India’s first innings remains the highest individual score of the match.
Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma tried to replicate Rahul’s obduracy, making an unbeaten 29. Corbin Bosch, on one, was with him when play was called off due to bad light.
Spinner Simon Harmer had dragged the visitors back into the contest with figures of 4-30 that helped bowl out India for 189 with the hosts taking a slender lead of 30.
“Playing in India you know you will be under pressure and I thought we fought back well today in restricting them,” Harmer told reporters.
“Cricket’s a funny game, we could be sitting here tomorrow night with a completely different story. South Africa manage to get to 150 and bowl India out for 80.”
“If there is one thing that this team has showed it’s that they can fight when the backs are against the wall,” added Harmer.
