The uncertainty around Shubman Gill’s fitness has finally ended. India head coach Gautam Gambhir has confirmed that the young opener is fully fit and available for the upcoming five-match T20I series against South Africa, beginning December 9 in Cuttack.
Shubman Gill injury update
Gill had suffered a neck injury during the first Test against South Africa in Guwahati and missed both innings of the match along with the remainder of the series. He was eventually ruled out of the entire ODI leg but has been named in the T20I side. For the last few days, Gill’s inclusion had carried an asterisk, with the BCCI stating that his participation would depend on final fitness clearance.
Speculation only grew stronger when the selectors named the squad with no clarity over Gill’s readiness. Gambhir has now put all doubt to rest. Speaking after India’s 2-1 ODI series win over South Africa in Visakhapatnam, Gambhir said Gill is cleared to return and ready to play. “Yes, Shubman is ready to start. That’s why he has been selected. And obviously he is fit and fine, hungry to go,” Gambhir told reporters.
In an attempt to make him the face of an ‘all-format’ player category, the BCCI elevated Gill to the vice-captaincy role before the Asia Cup 2025. It compromised the settled opening duo of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma. Gill lis already India’s ODI and Test captain, and will most likely lead in T20Is after the T20 World Cup 2026. However, his return in the format hasn’t been as fruitful, with him scoring just 259 runs at 28.77 and at a strike rate of 143.09 so far in 12 T20Is this year.
India’s squad for South Africa T20I series
Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shubman Gill (vc), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar
IND vs SA T20I series schedule
| Match | Date | Venue | Time (IST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st T20I | Dec 9 | Barabati Stadium, Cuttack | 7:00 PM |
| 2nd T20I | Dec 11 | Mullanpur, Chandigarh | 7:00 PM |
| 3rd T20I | Dec 14 | HPCA, Dharamsala | 7:00 PM |
| 4th T20I | Dec 17 | Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow | 7:00 PM |
| 5th T20I | Dec 19 | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad | 7:00 PM |
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Gautam Gambhir confirms Shubman Gill's availability for India vs South Africa T20Is
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