Shubman Gill Declared Fit, Will Play as Vice-Captain In South Africa T20I Series

Shubman Gill, India's Test and ODI captain, has been declared fully fit to return for the upcoming five-match T20I series against South Africa, where he will resume his role as vice-captain under skipper Suryakumar Yadav, a Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) source confirmed on Wednesday. The 26-year-old batter, who had been sidelined by a neck injury sustained during the first Test against the Proteas in Kolkata last month, missed the second Test in Guwahati and the ongoing ODI series, creating uncertainty over his availability for the white-ball leg of the tour.

Gill's injury, which occurred while fielding in the opening Test at Eden Gardens, forced him to undergo rehabilitation under the guidance of the BCCI's medical team, including scans and targeted physiotherapy sessions. His timely recovery comes as a significant boost for India, who are looking to consolidate their dominance in the T20 format following a mixed performance in the recent Test series against South Africa, which ended in a 1-1 draw. The T20I squad, expected to blend youth with experience, will be officially announced later in the day, with the series opener scheduled for December 9 in Cuttack, Odisha.

Suryakumar Yadav, appointed as India's permanent T20I captain earlier this year following Rohit Sharma's retirement from the format after the T20 World Cup triumph, will lead a side aiming to fine-tune preparations ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup. Gill's inclusion not only strengthens the top-order batting lineup—where he has amassed over 1,800 T20I runs at a strike rate exceeding 140—but also signals the BCCI's confidence in his leadership potential, having groomed him as a future all-format skipper.

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Meanwhile, the BCCI source dismissed swirling rumors of an emergency meeting between senior players Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and head coach Gautam Gambhir to address alleged dressing room discord, which has been fueled by recent media speculation and on-field tensions during the ODI series. "No such meeting is planned mid-series; we'll address any issues post-tour," the source clarified, emphasizing the board's focus on performance over internal distractions as India seeks a clean sweep in the T20Is to wrap up a challenging South Africa tour on a high note.

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