Shubman Gill lands in Bhubaneswar ‘hungry to go’ as Gambhir confirms full fitness for T20I comeback

Shubman Gill will be seen in action in the upcoming five-match T20I series against the Proteas, starting December 9 in Cuttack.

India T20I vice-captain Shubman Gill reached Bhubaneswar on Sunday night, all fired up to make a comeback to international cricket after missing one Test and three ODIs against the touring South African side. Gill will be seen in action in the upcoming five-match T20I series against the Proteas, starting December 9 in Cuttack.

Shubman Gill, sidelined in the Test series against South Africa due to a neck injury, is back in the squad for the T20I series against the Proteas (HT_PRINT)

After careful consideration, Gill was picked for the T20I contest, but the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) clarified that his availability is "Subject to fitness clearance from BCCI COE."

Cricbuzz reported that Gill arrived in Bhubaneswar “totally recovered” from the neck injury he sustained during the first Test against South Africa in Kolkata last month. Despite the pain, he had travelled to Guwahati for the second Test in a desperate attempt to play the series-decider, but could not take part in training and was sent to Mumbai. There, he consulted a spine specialist and underwent physiotherapy before moving to the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru for rehabilitation. In his push for clearance, Gill completed batting and fielding sessions and took part in match simulations.

On Saturday, India head coach Gautam Gambhir confirmed that Gill is fit for international cricket. "Yes, Shubman is ready to start. That's why he has been selected. He is fit, fine, and hungry to go," he told the reporters in Vizag after India beat South Africa in the third and final ODI match of the series.

The report added that most of the squad members have already reached Bhubaneswar, while a few others flew in from Visakhapatnam on a chartered flight on Sunday morning.

A local media also reported that Hardik Pandya, who was the first player to arrive, had even gone to Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, which will host the opening T20I, for a close-door practice session.

The South Africa contest will be India's penultimate series in the format, followed by one against New Zealand in January next year, before they assemble for the T20 World Cup, starting in February at home.