Injured Gill set to miss first Test in Perth

Shubman Gill is set to miss the Perth Test owing to a fractured thumb on his left hand. ESPNcricinfo has learned that the fracture was confirmed on Saturday after Gill attempted a low catch in the slips on the second day of India’s simulated training game.

The BCCI has not yet officially put out an update on Gill’s injury, but it is understood that while the fracture is minor, the top-order batter might be in a race to make the second Test, a day-night match that starts after a long gap, from December 6 in Adelaide, because of a two-day warm-up match between India and Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra starting November 30.

Gill’s absence in Perth means India will now have to reshuffle their batting plans for the first Test starting from November 22. With no certainty yet about India captain Rohit Sharma’s availability for the first Test, India will have to fill two vacant spots at the top of the order – an opening partner for Yashasvi Jaiswal and No. 3 – if Rohit doesn’t make it in time.

The options for India are KL Rahul and Abhimanyu Easwaran, although Devdutt Padikkal, who was with India A on the shadow tour recently, will also continue to be with the India squad.

In order to fill in for Rohit’s potential absence, Rahul opened the batting in the second four-day game against Australia A and in the simulated training game among the Indian players at the WACA in the lead up to the series opener at the Optus Stadium. After scoring 4 and 10 against Australia A at the MCG, Rahul was struck on his right elbow by a rising delivery from the tall quick Prasidh Krishna on Friday. He did not bat again that day but returned to the nets on Sunday.

Abhimanyu landed in Australia on the back of spectacular form in domestic cricket in India, having scored four centuries in as many red-ball games. But the returns dipped on Australian soil as he fetched scores of 0, 17, 7 and 12 against Australia A in the two games. He was out to pace bowling three out of four times, twice edging the ball behind and once to a bouncer, and run-out the fourth time.

Padikkal’s returns would inspire the team management more, although he is not part of the main Test squad. He scored 26 and 1 at the MCG after 36 and 88 in the first-four day game.