Shubman Gill hospitalised in Chennai, unlikely to play World Cup match against Pakistan: Report
Shubman Gill hospitalised: Shubman Gill's prospects of participating in India's highly anticipated World Cup 2023 clash against Pakistan are looking bleak as the young cricketer has been hospitalised at Chennai's Kaveri Hospital due to a drop in his platelet count.
Having already missed India's first two World Cup matches against Australia and Afghanistan, it now appears that Gill's absence will extend to the crucial Pakistan encounter as well, as he continues his recovery from dengue fever.
On Monday, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) issued a statement, confirming that the 24-year-old did not travel with the team to Delhi, where India is scheduled to play Afghanistan on Wednesday. However, what remained undisclosed by the BCCI was Gill's hospitalization in Chennai due to his low platelet count, with ongoing medical treatment under the care of BCCI's physician, Dr. Rizwan Khan.
As initially reported by Cricbuzz, Gill's condition has raised concerns among medical experts, prompting them to advise against air travel and recommend necessary treatment. Gill had initially traveled to Chennai with the Indian team but has been missing from action since October 4, a day before India's World Cup opener.
Dengue fever is notorious for its lingering effects even after the fever subsides and the platelet count improves, leaving the patient weakened. Even if Gill's health improves, and he is eventually discharged from the hospital, it may take time for him to regain full match fitness. If Gill were to join the team in Ahmedabad around October 12th or 13th, he would have missed valuable practice sessions. In such a scenario, it seems unlikely that the BCCI would rush his return, as they had a similar approach with Jasprit Bumrah in September of the previous year, which ultimately yielded positive results.
If Gill fails to recover in time for the Pakistan match, India will face a significant predicament. While Ishan Kishan was promoted to open alongside Rohit Sharma in the previous match, he was dismissed for a first-ball duck. Despite Kishan's recent string of half-centuries against West Indies in August, Gill's absence is a major setback. Gill not only stands as India's most in-form batsman, having scored 1230 runs this year at an impressive average of 72.35, but his affinity for batting in Ahmedabad, his IPL home ground with the Gujarat Titans, makes his absence even more conspicuous.
At the Narendra Modi Stadium alone, Gill has accumulated 572 runs in nine matches, boasting a highest score of 128, which includes three fifties and two centuries. His strike rate in Ahmedabad stands at a remarkable 172.80, and he has dispatched 52 fours and 23 sixes. Although Gill has yet to feature in an ODI at this venue, he has already notched up centuries in T20Is, notably an unbeaten 126 against New Zealand, and in Test cricket, with a memorable 128 against Australia during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier this year.
- With inputs from agencies
