VISAKHAPATNAM: Star India batter Shubman Gill would not be taking to the field during day four of the second Test between India and England due to a finger injury, announced the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Monday.
BCCI took to X (formerly Twitter) and wrote: “Shubman Gill hurt his right index finger while fielding on Day 2. He won’t be taking the field today.”
Mumbai’s domestic cricket batting sensation Sarfaraz Khan is the substitute fielder and has come as Gill’s replacement for the day. It is uncertain if Gill will take to the field on the final day.
UPDATE: Shubman Gill hurt his right index finger while fielding on Day 2. He won't be taking the field today.#TeamIndia | #INDvENG | @IDFCFIRSTBank
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 5, 2024
Earlier, Gill roared back into form with his third Test century, breaking free from a 12-inning long streak of poor scores and wasted starts in the longer format during the third day of the second Test against England at Visakhapatnam.
Coming to the match, England ended the day three at 67/1, chasing 399 runs to win, with Zak Crawley (29*) and Rehan Ahmed (9*) unbeaten.
India gained a 398-run lead in their second innings after being bundled out for 255. Shubman Gill roared into form with a classy 104 in 147 balls with 11 fours and two sixes, scoring a fifty-plus score after 12 innings. Contributions from Axar Patel (45 in 84 balls with six fours), Ravichandran Ashwin and Shreyas Iyer (29 runs each) helped India secure a big lead.
Tom Hartley (4/77) and Rehan (3/88) were the pick of the bowlers for England.
Led by Jasprit Bumrah’s heroics, India had earlier bundled out England for just 253 in their first innings, gaining a 143-run lead. Zak Crawley (76 in 78 balls, with 11 fours and two sixes) did launch an impressive counterattack, but Bumrah (6/45) along with spinner Kuldeep Yadav (3/71) blew away the rest of the English line-up.
India reached a respectable total of 396 runs in their first innings mainly due to the maiden double-hundred of the young Yashasvi Jaiswal (209 in 290 balls, with 19 fours and seven sixes). Knocks from Shubman Gill (34), Rajat Patidar (32), Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel (27 each) provided some help to the left-handed batter. (ANI)