Indian opener Shubman Gill remains on the path to recovery from Dengue, which has forced him to miss the ODI World Cup opener against Australia and will also sideline him for the upcoming match against Afghanistan.
In a statement, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed that Shubman Gill will not travel with the team to Delhi on October 9, 2023. The young opener, who missed India’s first fixture in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 against Australia in Chennai, will stay back in Chennai under the supervision of the medical team as he continues his recovery.
A source had earlier mentioned that Shubman Gill was recovering and would be traveling with the team to Delhi. However, it is now clear that he will miss the Afghanistan match, and his availability for the game against Pakistan will depend on his next medical report.
In the absence of Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan replaced him as the opening partner for Indian skipper Rohit Sharma in the ODI World Cup opener against Australia.
In India’s first match of the tournament, Australia won the toss and opted to bat first. Despite a strong start by the Australian openers, India’s bowling attack, led by Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, and Ravichandran Ashwin, put up an exceptional performance, dismissing Australia for 199 runs. Jadeja claimed three wickets, while Kuldeep and Jasprit Bumrah each took two wickets.
In reply, India faced early setbacks, losing three wickets for just two runs on the board. However, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul anchored the innings with a solid 165-run partnership, helping India secure a thrilling six-wicket victory against Australia.
India’s next match in the tournament will be against Afghanistan on October 11 at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. While Shubman Gill remains sidelined for the Afghanistan clash, Indian fans hope to see him back on the field soon as he continues his recovery from Dengue.
