The Indian team’s concerns ahead of the World Cup opener against Australia have been compounded with the in-form Shubman Gill believed to be suffering from dengue and the batsman a doubtful starter for Sunday’s match against Australia. Ishan Kishan could open the innings if Gill is ruled out. The BCCI is yet to confirm the nature of the disease. “He is ill, the medical team is monitoring him closely. We hope he gets better soon. We will have to wait for more updates from the medical team,” the BCCI medical update said.
Gill, India’s most prolific batsman in ODIs in recent times, is reportedly suffering from high fever and will be tested for dengue on Friday before a final call on the matter is taken.
“Shubman has had high fever since landing in Chennai. His tests are being done. He will undergo tests on Friday and a call will be made regarding his participation in the opening match,” a BCCI source aware of the developments told PTI provided anonymity.
It is learned that Gill is being tested again for dengue and if this is confirmed, he could well miss a few matches.
Recovery from dengue normally takes seven to ten days before a player is match fit again. However, if the platelet count drops significantly, this may take much longer.
While Gill could be a non-starter against Australia, there is a good chance he will not play against Afghanistan (October 11) and Pakistan (October 14) if recovery takes more time.
“Let’s not go too far. If it is normal viral fever, he could be on antibiotics, but that is completely the decision of the medical team,” the source said.
Gill, who has scored 1,200 runs this season, has built a successful opening stand with skipper Rohit Sharma of late. If he is absent for a longer period of time, it could be a major setback for the Indian team.
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