India dealt a significant blow in the first Test against South Africa in Kolkata as captain Shubman Gill was ruled out of the remainder of the match due
to a neck injury. While the incident initially raised concerns about workload-related strain, bowling coach Morne Morkel clarified that the issue likely comes from a stiff neck caused by a bad night’s sleep.
Gill suffered the injury unexpectedly on Day 2 at the Eden Gardens. The Indian captain, who has been playing non-stop cricket across formats since IPL 2025, walked out to bat after the early wicket of Washington Sundar. However, just moments into his innings, he began showing signs of discomfort after a sweep shot. He retired hurt and was later taken to the hospital for scans, and the BCCI soon confirmed that he would take no further part in the match.
According to the BCCI, Gill suffered an acute neck sprain and remains under observation in a Kolkata hospital. The injury occurred just three balls into his innings, when he slog-swept Simon Harmer for four but instantly clutched the back of his neck. Despite on-field treatment, his head movement was restricted, forcing him to walk off retired hurt. He did not return to bat as India were bowled out for 189, nor did he take the field on Day 3. Speaking to reporters, bowling coach Morkel quashed speculation that Gill’s heavy workload caused the injury.
“Yeah, I think we first need to determine how he got the neck stiffness, maybe just a bad night’s sleep. I don’t think it’s something we can put down to the load,” Morkel said.
Just unfortunate that he woke up this morning with a stiff neck: Morkel
Morkel stated that the batter is among the fittest and most disciplined players in the squad, and the injury is even more unfortunate.
“Gill is a very fit guy; he looks after himself very well. It’s just unfortunate that he woke up this morning with a stiff neck and carried that into the day, which was crucial for us. Another partnership with him batting around was going to be needed at the time, just bad timing," he added.
Notably, the Punjab-born Gill was seen wearing a cervical collar in the dressing room before being taken to the hospital for further evaluation. BCCI later confirmed that his participation in the match was over.
"[Gill] was taken to the hospital for examination after the end of day's play. He is currently under observation in the hospital. He will take no further part in the Test match. He will continue to be monitored by the BCCI medical team," the BCCI statement said.
His injury also meant India were a batter short in the fourth innings and required wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant to take over leadership during South Africa’s second innings. Meanwhile, Gill suffered a similar stiff-neck issue in October 2024 and missed a Test match.
