Shubman Gill could not participate in the last match of the T20 series against South Africa. In his absence, Sanju Samson seized the opportunity to open in the Ahmedabad match. Shubman would have also missed the Lucknow T20 match, but the match didn’t proceed beyond the toss due to fog. This marks the second time in recent history that Shubman has suffered an injury. He previously experienced a neck strain during the Test series against South Africa last month. Gill's injury slightly heightens tension within the Indian team as the T20 World Cup draws near, with team selection set for December 20.
Before the team selection for the T20 World Cup, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) provided a promising update regarding Shubman Gill’s fitness. The BCCI stated, 'Shubman Gill sustained an injury to his right foot while batting in the nets in Lucknow on December 16. Following specialist consultation and treatment by the BCCI medical team, he is recovering well but was unavailable for selection in the final T20 in Ahmedabad.'
Winning the toss in the Ahmedabad T20 match, South Africa's captain Aiden Markram chose to bowl first. He remarked, 'We'll bowl first. Dew is expected later, which might aid the ball's movement. Everything is at stake. Our focus is on the World Cup, and we aim to conclude the tour positively. George Linde replaces Anrich Nortje.'
India's Three Changes in Playing XI
India made three changes for this match. Sanju Samson replaced the injured Shubman Gill. Jasprit Bumrah, returning from injury, replaced Harshit Rana, and Washington Sundar came in for Kuldeep Yadav.
Captain Suryakumar Yadav stated, 'We wanted to bat first. The wicket looks good, with no dew expected, so we plan to put runs on the board. The stadium seems almost full. The series is on the line, but it's vital for players to express themselves and enjoy the game. Bumrah comes in for Harshit, and Washington replaces Kuldeep Yadav. Gill has a slight injury from the Lucknow match, which allowed Sanju into the playing XI.'
South Africa's Playing XI:
Quinton de Kock (wicketkeeper), Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram (captain), Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Donovan Ferreira, George Linde, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Lungi Ngidi, Ottniel Bartman.
India's Playing XI:
Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, and Arshdeep Singh.
