Shubman Gill retired out after just 3 balls, freak neck injury feared

Team India suffered a major blow on Day 2 (Saturday, November 15) of the ongoing first Test match against South Africa at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Skipper Shubman Gill was forced to retire out, and fans have expressed concerns on social media following the incident in the morning session.

India resumed the second day's play at 37/1 with KL Rahul (13) and Washington Sundar (6) at the crease. The batters negotiated the South African attack for the opening hour. However, Simon Harmer provided a breakthrough for his team in his first over of the day, removing Washington Sundar for 29 runs.

Watch: Shubman Gill Retires Hurt with Injury on Day 2

Shubman Gill injured his neck while batting in India's first innings. The incident took place after he struck a boundary off Simon Harmer with a sweep shot over backward square leg. After playing the shot, Gill was seen clutching the left side of his neck in visible discomfort.

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The team physio rushed onto the field to assess the situation. Gill, unable to move his neck properly, decided to walk back to the dressing room. The crowd gave a cheer to Rishabh Pant, who was making his comeback after an injury.

The Indian camp will be hoping the injury is not serious and that Gill can resume his innings later in the match, as his absence would be a major setback for the batting.

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— crictalk (@crictalk7) November 15, 2025

Shubman Gill Has Dealt With Neck Spasms Before as Well

Shubman Gill has been troubled by a recurring neck injury over the past year. The right-handed batter suffered similar spasms during the second T20I against Sri Lanka in 2024, which forced him to miss the remainder of that match.

Gill was ruled out of the first Test against New Zealand at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The latest incident has reignited discussion around his workload management. Gill has been playing continuous cricket across formats while also leading the Indian side.

There has been no official confirmation from the Indian camp regarding the seriousness of the neck issue or whether Gill will return to bat in the ongoing innings. The medical team is expected to monitor him closely before making any decision on his participation.

India Experiment With Seventh Batter at No. 3 After Cheteshwar Pujara’s Era

India promoted Washington Sundar to the No. 3 position. Washington replaced Sai Sudharsan in the XI but managed only 29 runs. Sundar became the seventh batter to play at that spot since Cheteshwar Pujara’s departure, following trials with Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, and Karun Nair.

Gill, who briefly batted at No. 3 earlier, has moved comfortably into the No. 4 position, while Rahul has returned to his preferred opening role. India were 88 for 2 after 36.3 overs, with Rahul and Rishabh Pant at the crease. Gill retired hurt for just 4 runs off 3 deliveries.

Earlier, India’s bowlers dismissed the visitors for 159. Jasprit Bumrah took a five-wicket haul, while Mohammed Siraj and Kuldeep Yadav picked up two wickets each. Axar Patel claimed one, as Aiden Markram top-scored for the visitors with 31.

Also read: PCB completes independent valuation of PSL franchises; shortlists six cities for addition of new teams