India are currently fretting over the health and (un)availability of star opener Shubman Gill for India’s World Cup 2023 opening match against Australia on October 8 in Chennai.
Although head coach Rahul Dravid said that the opener is not currently ruled out yet, sources close to the BCCI have revealed that Gill is highly unlikely to play not only in the first match against Australia but also perhaps could miss the second match against Afghanistan.
Shubman Gill had reportedly tested positive for dengue upon landing in Chennai. He was the only member of the Indian contingent who was seen wearing a mask. He had a high fever until Thursday, but Dravid said he was feeling better on Friday.
“He’s certainly feeling better today,” Dravid said on Friday. “The medical team is monitoring on daily basis. We have 36 hours, we’ll see what decision they take. He’s certainly feeling better today. Medical team hasn’t ruled him out as yet. We’ll keep monitoring him on a day to day basis. We’ll see how he feels day after tomorrow.”
Aakash Chopra analysts Dravid’s statement on Shubman Gill
Former India batsman and now commentator Aakash Chopra analyzed Dravid’s statement on Gill. Chopra opined that Dravid’s comment – of Gill not being ruled out yet by the doctors – tacitly hinted that the 24-year-old is all but certain to miss out on the Australia game. Chopra also asserted that Ishan Kishan will, in all likelihood, play as an opener in the absence of Gill.
“Shubman Gill is unwell. At the press conference, Rahul Dravid said that he’s not too bad and we are watching and we are not ruling him out. But, whenever Rahul Dravid says such things, mostly the player has already been ruled out. I am assuming that Ishan Kishan will open the innings with Rohit Sharma,” Chopra said in his YouTube video.
“It’s not a great story for a simple reason that Shubman and Rohit strike fear [in the minds of the opposition]. It’s not like Ishan won’t be feared, but you want to start the World Cup with your best opening combination. In Mohali as well as in the next game [against Australia in Indore], Gill was in attacking mode. So, it would have been good if he was there, but that is unlikely to be the case.”
Gill is the leading ODI run-scorer in 2023 and his absence will be a big hole to fill for Kishan.
