In a latest injury blow, India Test captain Shubman Gill will not take the field on Day 1 of his team’s three-day warm-up match against Sri Lanka XI in Colombo today. Gill suffered an impact injury to his right
ring finger while practising on Thursday.
The Indian team management, as a precautionary measure, decided against playing Gill on Friday with Test vice-captain KL Rahul to take charge of the team on Day 1.
“The BCCI Medical Team is monitoring his progress,” the BCCI posted on X (formerly Twitter).
As widely reported yesterday, Gill copped a blow to his fingers – twice – during the nets session for which he needed medical attention.
With just over a week before the start of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle, the Indian team management will not be willing to take any chances given they have already been hit by injuries to multiple players.
Jasprit Bumrah was initially named in India’s Test squad for the two-match series in Sri Lanka. However, he was later withdrawn due to an injury that he suffered during a bilateral ODI series in England last month.
Jammu and Kashmir’s uncapped pacer Auqib Nabi has been named as Bumrah’s replacement.
Additionally, all-rounder Washington Sundar and Harshit Rana have also not been picked owing to various fitness issues.
Concerned by the growing list of injuries and players frequently breaking down, the BCCI reportedly grilled Indian team physio Kamlesh Jain about the falling fitness standards.
As per The Times of India, the BCCI is set to standardise base fitness parameters after being made aware that certain senior players were given “comfortable targets” to clear fitness tests.
The two-match Test series in Sri Lanka is crucial to India’s hopes of climbing up the ICC World Test Championship points table where they currently are at the fifth spot.
India didn’t qualify for the WTC final in the last cycle after having finished runners-up in the first two editions.
