India have been a fresh injury concern ahead of the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar trophy 2024/25. Star batter Shubman Gill has reportedly picked up a thumb injury during India's match simulation at the WACA Stadium in Perth. Gill has suffered a left-hand thumb injury while fielding in the slips on Day 2 of the match simulation ahead of the first Test in Perth. Gill left the field and did not return.
Despite this issue, it is not confirmed if Gill will be unavailable for the first Test in Perth which starts on November 22 at the Optus Stadium. His injury concern comes days after KL Rahul and Sarfaraz Khan also picked up blows.
Rahul was hit on his right elbow off a rising Prasidh Krishna delivery in the match simulation on Friday. He was looking in good touch and was handling the short ball well before one came to hit him on his right elbow. He sought medical attention, went off the field and did not return to bat later.
Meanwhile, Sarfaraz Khan had also caught up a blow to his elbow in training on Thursday. He was batting in the nets when he copped a blow to his elbow. However, as reported by news agency PTI, the batter was doing fine and didn't need an MRI.
Sarfaraz can be in line to play in the first if Rohit Sharma is not available to feature in the opener due to the birth of his second child. Rohit and his wife Ritika Sajdeh welcomed a baby boy on Friday. However, it is not confirmed whether he will be available to play in the first test in Perth.
Coming back to Gill, the right-handed batter has cemented his place at No.3 after stellar outings in recent times. He began his career as an opener in the format but vacated the place in favour of Yashasvi Jaiswal. If Rohit is not available for the series opener, Abhimanyu Easwaran, KL Rahul or Gill might open the innings.
