![Shubman Gill struggles with injury in the nets [Source: @AnkanKar/X]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1786018303042_ShubmanGillinjuredinpain.jpg?type=hq)
Shubman Gill struggles with injury in the nets [Source: @AnkanKar/X]
The Indian cricket team has been struggling with injuries even before landing in Sri Lanka for the two-match Test series. The Shubman Gill-led team has no sign of their number three batter, Sai Sudharsan, as he is currently undergoing rehab at the Bengaluru Centre of Excellence and is yet to return to full match fitness.
Amid this ongoing woe, the skipper of the Indian Test team, Gill himself, has succumbed to an injury while practising in the nets in Colombo.
The Indian cricket team has been sweating it out in the nets ahead of the first practice match against Sri Lanka on August 7, with intensity at an all-time high.
The Sri Lanka tour remains one of the most crucial series for India since the subcontinental conditions have not favoured the Men in Blue very much previously. And adding to this tense situation, Shubman Gill's recent injury on August 6 likely adds to the headache of both coach Gautam Gambhir and the team management.
Shubman Gill Injures Himself In The Nets Ahead Of IND vs SL 1st Test
Gill effectively hurt himself twice in the nets while practising at the NCC Ground in Colombo. As reported by Times Network journalist Ankan Kar, Gill, while firing down some shots in the nets, injured his right thumb.
In the first instance, Gill was attended by a team doctor, where he received a band-aid on his right thumb and gave him some words of precaution. However, that was a minor niggle, and Gill continued to bat.
In the very next session, while fielding, Shubman Gill hurt himself badly during slip-catching practice. The band-aid from his batting practice was still on when Shubman Gill was seen in excruciating pain. As visuals emerged from the nets, Gill was seen clutching his right hand and expressing clear pain on his face as team physios rushed in with ice packs to apply.
Gill was then seen leaving the field with the physios while they applied the ice pack to his hand. Although the first injury didn't look serious, the second instance calls for action from the team management.
While thumb injuries can sometimes be a minor niggle, with the upcoming practice match scheduled for not even 24 hours later, Gill's injury might be a concern for Team India.
No official update has yet been received from the India camp on whether his injury is serious or minor. However, the possibility of a hairline fracture or minor pain is obvious.
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Will Gill Be Able To Play The India vs Sri Lanka 1st Test?
The visuals, being very graphic, with Gill seen animated in pain, indicate that there is a possibility that he might not feature in the practice match against Sri Lanka on August 7.
Minor niggles take at least a day or two, or even a week, to recover, and if things remain as they are, there is a possibility that Shubman Gill will still play the first Test against Sri Lanka. However, if the pain aggravates, Gill might stay out of contention for at least the first Test, which will be played on August 15.
In the second scenario, if Gill plays the practice match tomorrow, he will be certified fit and will definitely feature in the first Test, which will reduce many complications in the batting order and batting arsenal for the Gautam Gambhir-led Indian cricket team.
Team India Carries The Burden of Injury Woes Ahead Of Practice Match
India's woes haven't been easy. Sai Sudharsan's recent injury and his availability being subject to fitness, alongside Jasprit Bumrah's absence, have had India's hands tied.
Bumrah was ruled out of the tour, with Sai Sudharsan still in consideration for the first Test. Notably, all-rounder Washington Sundar is also set to miss the first Test, with Nitish Kumar Reddy also ruled out due to a quadriceps injury he is currently nursing.
Harshit Rana, another pacer, has also been ruled out with a hamstring injury, as Shubman Gill’s squad arrives with names like Manav Suthar, Saransh Jain, Gurnoor Brar, and Auqib Nabi.
It will be interesting to see how these comparatively fresh faces at this level can compete in the subcontinental conditions in Sri Lanka, as the captain of the team himself is currently battling injury concerns.
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