BCCI clears the air with an official statement on Shubman Gill's future in India vs Australia Tests

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has provided a significant update on young batter Shubman Gill's injury ahead of the first Test match against Australia. Notably, the BCCI confirmed that Shubman Gill was not considered for selection for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 opener.

Gill was the second batter to miss the first Test of the five-match series in Australia. Indian skipper Rohit Sharma hasn’t joined the Test squad due to personal reasons. Gill injured his thumb during a training session while taking a catch in slips during the three-day match simulation ahead of the Test.

Shubman’s thumb injury was initially suspected to be a fracture. However, later reports clarified that there was no fracture. India’s bowling coach, Morne Morkel, said that Gill was improving on a “day-to-day basis,” and the final decision on his fitness was to be made on the morning of the Test match.

Shubman Gill Was Not Considered For Selection - BCCI

Shubman Gill was not included in the playing XI for the Perth Test, with Devdutt Padikkal replacing him. The Indian medical team is closely monitoring his recovery, with daily updates on his condition. It is worth mentioning that there is a 10-day gap between the first and second Test matches.

“Shubman Gill sustained a left thumb injury during Day 2 of match simulation at The WACA. He was not considered for selection for the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy,” the BCCI release said.

“The BCCI Medical Team is monitoring his progress on a daily basis,” the statement added.

Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy Handed Test Debuts in Perth

The Jasprit Bumrah-led team has fielded a young-looking side, with Rohit Sharma, Mohammed Shami, and Shubman Gill unavailable. KL Rahul was named as the opening partner for Yashasvi Jaiswal. The India national cricket team also handed debut caps to Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy.

Speaking at the toss, Jasprit Bumrah expressed confidence in their preparations and the pitch conditions. He said that the team would bat first, as the wicket looked promising. Bumrah said that the pitch tends to get quicker over time, given their previous experience at this venue in 2018.

"We are going to bat first, looks like a good wicket. Very confident with our preparation. We played a Test match here in 2018 so we know what to expect. The wicket gets quicker. Nitish makes his debut. We have 4 quicks and Washi is the lone spinner," Bumrah said, as quoted by Cricbuzz.

India's Playing XI for First Test vs Australia:

Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Jasprit Bumrah (c) and Mohammed Siraj.

The first Test between India and Australia began on Friday, November 22, at the Optus Stadium in Perth. Notably, the visiting team lost their first four wickets for less than 50 runs on the board. Yashasvi Jaiswal, Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli, and KL Rahul were all back in the dressing room.

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