India, Nov 16 : Captain Shubman Gill was admitted to a hospital in Kolkata on Saturday after a sudden neck spasm forced him to retire hurt during the opening day of the first Test against South Africa at Eden Gardens. Gill’s father, Lakhwinder Gill, is in Kolkata for the match and is currently by his side.
Sources told IANS that the skipper was moved to a private hospital designated as the medical partner for the Test after leaving the venue with a neck brace on. He is expected to remain under observation overnight, with further tests scheduled to determine the severity of the injury.
The incident occurred in the first session when Gill, after playing a well timed sweep for four off Simon Harmer in the 35th over, immediately clutched his neck in visible discomfort. Team physio Kamlesh Jain attended to him as the captain struggled to move his neck freely, prompting him to walk off retired hurt for four off just three deliveries. Vice-captain Rishabh Pant led the side for the remainder of the day.
In an afternoon update, the BCCI confirmed that Gill was under medical observation and that his participation in the rest of the Test would depend on further assessment. India now await clarity on whether their captain can return to play, with South Africa finishing the day at 93/7 in their second innings, holding a 63-run lead.
Broadcast visuals from the second session suggested that Gill’s neck issue may have emerged even before play began, showing him performing stretching drills while grimacing in discomfort. This episode adds to Gill’s history of neck stiffness, which previously ruled him out of India’s Bengaluru Test against New Zealand in October 2024 and the second T20I against Sri Lanka in July 2024.
India bowling coach Morne Morkel dismissed concerns that recent workload may have contributed to the injury. “We first need to determine how he got the neck stiffness maybe it was just a bad night’s sleep,” Morkel said at the post-day press conference. “Shubman is a very fit guy. He looks after himself well. It was just unfortunate that he woke up with a stiff neck and carried it into a crucial day for us.”
Gill’s status for day three remains uncertain as medical teams continue to monitor his condition.