In a disappointing turn of events for Team India, star opener Shubman Gill continues to miss World Cup matches due to dengue. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed on Monday (October 9) that Gill will not be a part of the squad for the game against Afghanistan in Delhi on October 11, as he continues to battle dengue.
Gill’s absence was keenly felt during India’s opening match against Australia in Chennai, where the young opener was unable to take the field due to his illness. Despite Gill’s unavailability, India managed to secure a remarkable victory.
Just two days prior to the Australia game, India’s head coach Rahul Dravid had provided a glimmer of hope, saying, “He [Gill] is certainly feeling better today than he was yesterday, so that’s a positive, but the medical team is monitoring him on a day-to-day basis. We’ve got 36 hours to go, so we’ll see how that goes. We’ll wait to take a decision at the last minute we possibly can.” Unfortunately, Gill was unable to recover in time for the match.
In Gill’s absence, Ishan Kishan stepped up as the opening batsman alongside Rohit Sharma. While the start was rocky with India at 2 for 3 in their pursuit of a 200-run target, they managed to stage a remarkable comeback, winning the match with six wickets in hand and 52 balls to spare.
Shubman Gill has been a standout performer in ODIs this year, amassing 1230 runs at an impressive average of 72.35 and a strike rate of 105.03. In his last four ODIs, he has scored two centuries and a half-century, making him a vital asset to the team.
After the Afghanistan match on October 11, Team India is set to travel to Ahmedabad for a highly-anticipated clash against arch-rivals Pakistan on October 14. The absence of Shubman Gill will be a significant challenge for the Indian team, but they will be hopeful of his swift recovery and return to the squad.