India Recall Nitish Kumar Reddy Early as Shubman Gill Doubtful for 2nd Test vs South Africa

Nitish Kumar Reddy is set to rejoin India’s Test team before the second match against South Africa in Guwahati. He was earlier released from the squad for the Eden Gardens Test so he could play for India A against South Africa.

The BCCI had said he would return for the second Test, but he has been called back earlier than planned. He will now train with the team during their optional practice session at the Eden Gardens on November 18. Reddy played two List A fixtures for India A, and while he didn't get to bat and bowl in the second game, he scored 37 and returned with 1/18 in the first game of the ongoing three-match series in Rajkot.

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Shubman Gill Batter

Shubman Gill, a cricketer from Fazilka, Punjab, India, has made a remarkable career in international cricket.

India call up Nitish Kumar Reddy early as Shubman Gill remains doubtful for 2nd Test

Rejoining the Test team means the all-rounder will miss the third India A match on November 19. The Indian team management had earlier released him from the Test squad after checking the pitch, deciding he needed more match practice and bowling time. The Indian team might need extra batting support if Shubman Gill doesn’t recover in time for the last match of the series.

The Indian Test captain is healing from a neck injury, and it’s still not clear if he will play. India do have Devdutt Padikkal and Sai Sudharsan on the bench, but adding another left-handed batter may not be the best option. Reddy could be an ideal addition to the XI even if he bats lower down the order. It will allow them to keep the left-right going and keep match-ups in favour of the hosts.

The first Test against South Africa finished in just three days. Now everyone is looking forward to the match in Guwahati. This is the first time the city is hosting a Test match, and India will hope it becomes a special game for them and helps them level the series 1-1.

India Test squad: Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant (WK) (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Akash Deep, Nitish Kumar Reddy

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