1983 World Cup winner accuses Shubman Gill of faking injury to avoid playing in Bengaluru

Shubman Gill, one of the brightest prospects in Indian cricket, finds himself at the center of controversy after 1983 World Cup winner Krishnamachari Srikkanth accused him of faking his injury to miss the ongoing first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru.

The young batting sensation missed out on India's opening Test of the ongoing three-match Test series against New Zealand at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru due to a stiff neck.

Shubman Gill missed the first Test against New Zealand due to a stiff neck

Shubman Gill, who plays at the crucial number 3 position in Tests, left fans and former cricketers like Srikkanth bewildered as the Indian cricket team struggled tremendously without him against New Zealand.

India’s first inning was nothing short of a disaster, as they crumbled for a mere 46 runs in tricky overcast conditions at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. The absence of Gill was palpable, particularly when Virat Kohli, stepping in for him at No. 3, was dismissed for a duck, leaving the team reeling.

The Bengaluru pitch was seaming and swinging, and questions were raised about India’s batting depth. Adding fuel to the fire, former Indian chief selector Krishnamachari Srikkanth has accused Shubman Gill of faking his injury.

Krishnamachari Srikkanth claims Shubman Gill faked a stiff neck to miss the Bengaluru Test

In a bold statement on his YouTube channel, Srikkanth expressed his disappointment with Gill’s absence, implying that he might have avoided the match knowing the challenging nature of the pitch at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

Cheeka on Shubman Gill stiff neck 🤣😂😭

Roasted Shubman gill #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/ujXENj35ac

— Prakash (@definitelynot05) October 18, 2024

He’s saying Gill would have gotten stiff neck seeing the pitch itself

— Prakash (@definitelynot05) October 18, 2024

However, Srikkanth’s comments were met with laughter from his co-hosts on his YouTube channel, but the allegations sound serious. Well, the lack of clarity surrounding Srikkanth’s accusation has left many puzzled, provoking a strong reaction from Gill's fans on social media.

Notably, Gill reportedly expressed concerns about a stiff neck leading up to the opening test. On Day 2 of the match, the right-handed batter was absent from warm-up activities in Bengaluru. While Indian captain Rohit Sharma didn’t specify the exact reason for Gill's absence, he mentioned that "Gill misses out; he’s not 100 percent."

Team India on the brink of losing the Bengaluru Test to New Zealand

Meanwhile, as the match progressed, the pitch at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru seemingly improved, with New Zealand piling on 402 runs in their first innings to take a huge lead in the ongoing first Test against India. However, India showed resilience by making a strong comeback in their second innings.

Team India managed to post 462 runs on the board in their second innings, thanks to stunning fifties from Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli followed by remarkable knocks of 99 and 150 from Rishabh Pant and Sarfaraz Khan against New Zealand in the ongoing first Test in Bengaluru.

India has almost lost the game, as the touring side needs only 107 runs to win the first Test in Bengaluru and take a 1-0 lead in the ongoing three-match Test series. The second Test is scheduled to take place in Pune from October 24, while the final Test is scheduled in Mumbai from November 1.