Shubman Gill to Undergo Key Fitness Test; Sitanshu Kotak Strongly Defends Gautam Gambhir After Kolkata Test Loss
Ahead of the second Test against South Africa in Guwahati, India’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak offered cautious optimism on captain Shubman Gill’s fitness while firmly defending head coach Gautam Gambhir amid growing criticism. India trail the two-match series 0–1 after a 30-run defeat in Kolkata.
Gill, who suffered a neck spasm during the first Test and skipped Thursday’s training session, will undergo a crucial fitness test on Friday evening. His availability will depend on the medical team’s assessment.
Kotak explained,
“He is recovering really well. But the physios must decide if there’s any chance of the spasm recurring during the match. If there is any doubt, he will rest because it won’t help the team otherwise. A player like Shubman, and he’s the captain—any team would miss him.”
While acknowledging Gill’s importance, Kotak stressed India’s bench strength.
“We have plenty of good players. If he misses out, someone else will come in and maybe even score a hundred.”
If Gill is unavailable, Dhruv Jurel, who batted at No. 4 in Kolkata, is among the replacements, though Kotak stated the team will finalize the combination only after knowing Gill’s status and assessing the pitch on match eve.
Kotak also highlighted how Gill’s absence influenced the first Test, saying India might have held a strong position with just one solid partnership in the first innings.
Kotak Defends Gambhir: “Some People Have Agendas”
Reacting sharply to criticism directed at head coach Gautam Gambhir, Kotak said the backlash was unfair and agenda-driven.
“I feel bad. That’s not the way. Maybe some people have their own agendas. Good luck to them, but it is very bad.”
He questioned why only Gambhir was targeted when the team collectively faltered. Kotak praised Gambhir for taking responsibility for the turning Eden Gardens pitch:
“He took all the blame because he didn’t want to put it on the curators.”
Technical Adjustments and Changing Batting Mindset
Kotak noted that South Africa adapted better to the challenging conditions and discussed how modern batting, influenced by T20 cricket, has altered technique and footwork.
“In Test cricket, footwork is crucial. T20s focus on creating an early base, which reduces footwork. On such wickets, busy cricket works better than defensive cricket.”
India will now hope Gill recovers in time to steady the top order in a must-win encounter beginning Saturday.
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Shubman Gill to undergo key fitness test ahead of Guwahati Test. Batting coach Sitanshu Kotak offers cautious optimism and strongly defends Gautam Gambhir amid criticism.
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