Shubman Gill is likely to miss India's opening Test against Australia, starting November 22 in Perth, after fracturing his left thumb. The injury occurred when he attempted a low catch in the slips during the second day of a simulated training match, and it was confirmed on Saturday.
While the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has not officially commented on the situation, reports suggest that although the fracture is minor, Gill faces a race against time to recover for the second Test—a day-night encounter in Adelaide beginning December 6.
Gill's absence compounds India's selection challenges, especially with captain Rohit Sharma also set to miss the first Test. The team now needs to find a new opening partner for the young Yashasvi Jaiswal, appoint a No. 3 batsman, and decide on their No. 6 position.
Potential candidates for the top order include KL Rahul and Abhimanyu Easwaran. Rahul had opened the batting in recent matches against Australia A and participated in practice games at the WACA. After scoring modestly—4 and 10—against Australia A at the MCG, he was hit on the right elbow by a rising delivery from pacer Prasidh Krishna. Although he skipped batting that day, he returned to the nets on Sunday, easing injury concerns.
Abhimanyu arrived in Australia on the back of outstanding domestic form, having scored four centuries in four red-ball matches. However, he has struggled to adapt to Australian conditions, managing scores of 0, 17, 7, and 12 against Australia A. His dismissals were primarily against pace bowling—twice caught behind and once falling to a bouncer—and he was run out once.
Another option is Devdutt Padikkal, who was part of India A's shadow tour and remains with the main squad. As the coaching staff scrambles to solidify the batting lineup, they face the daunting task of assembling a competitive side for the series opener at Optus Stadium.
With just days remaining before the first Test, India's batting order is in flux, adding extra intrigue to an already highly anticipated series. Fans will be eager to see how the team adapts to these challenges against a formidable Australian side.