IND vs SA 2025: Shubman Gill hit a crisp sweep off Simon Harmer that raced behind square, and the timing on that shot suggested that he had settled in for a long stay at the crease. Then, the tone of India’s innings changed because he felt discomfort almost immediately after that boundary and walked away from the middle with India still chasing South Africa’s first-innings total.

By the time he left, India stood at 79 for 2 and remained 80 runs behind, and although the situation did not look alarming at that moment, the innings began to feel brittle without the captain providing stability.

As the afternoon moved on, the scoreboard crept forward in uneven bursts, and India eventually reached 189 for 9, which handed them only a 30-run lead at Eden Gardens. Rishabh Pant stepped in to handle the captaincy once Gill withdrew, yet the drop in control felt obvious, and the crowd sensed how different the day might have looked had Gill been able to carry on.

Shubman Gill was taken to Woodlands Hospital in Kolkata for scans

ESPNcricinfo reported that he wore a neck brace after play and medical staff placed him on a stretcher to move him to the ambulance that took him to Woodlands Hospital for scans, which added fresh concern around his availability for the rest of the first Test.

Later in the evening, assistant coach Morne Morkel explained that Gill woke up with a stiff neck and tried to push through it, although the discomfort grew as the day unfolded. He noted that Gill usually maintained excellent fitness standards and said the issue might come from something as simple as an awkward night’s sleep rather than accumulated fatigue.

“Gill is a very fit guy; he looks after himself very well, so it’s just unfortunate this morning that he woke up with a stiff neck and that carried him into the day, which was crucial for us. Another sort of partnership with him batting around was going to be needed for us at the time, and… just bad timing,” Morkel told reporters in Kolkata.

“Yeah, I think we first need to determine how he got the neck stiffness, maybe just a bad night’s sleep. I don’t think it’s, or we can put it down to the load,” Morkel replied.

Even so, observers have begun to question whether his relentless schedule since February has left him with little room to recover, and the timing of this setback pushes that discussion further.