Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 21 (ANI): The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed that wicketkeeper-batter and vice-captain Rishabh Pant will lead India in the second Test against South Africa starting from Saturday onwards, with regular skipper Shubman Gill released from the squad to fully recover from his neck injury.

In the first Test at Kolkata, India were without their skipper Gill to stabilise things from one end, as they were restricted to 93/9 while chasing down 124 against South Africa at Eden Gardens, marking their first loss at the venue in 13 years. Gill was hospitalised and kept under observation. Later, he was discharged and even travelled to Guwahati with Team India two days back. But now, it has emerged that Gill will not play any further part in the series.

Taking to their X handle, BCCI posted, '#TeamIndia captain Shubman Gill, who suffered a neck injury during the first Test against South Africa, has been ruled out of the second Test in Guwahati. Rishabh Pant will lead the team in the 2nd Test in his absence.'

https://x.com/BCCI/status/1991759530389074311

Gill has not regained full fitness for the second Test and will proceed to Mumbai for further assessment.

At Kolkata, he had played just four deliveries in the first innings before retiring hurt due to pain in his neck after he played a sweep for a four.

As a result of the loss in Kolkata, the reigning ICC World Test Championship winners have risen to the second spot in the nine-team standings. India has meanwhile dropped to fourth place after conceding their third loss in the ongoing cycle.

Gill has been in sensational form this year in Tests, with 983 runs in nine Tests at an average of 70.21, with a healthy strike rate of over 63, including five centuries and a fifty. His best score is 269. The youngster's purple patch started during the tour of England, his first assignment as Test captain in the absence of legends like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Mohammed Shami and Ravichandran Ashwin. His 754 runs in the series, including four centuries, out of which one was a double, played a crucial role in securing India a well-fought 2-2 draw and in producing one of the best Test series in a while. (ANI)