In a heartening development for the Indian cricket camp, Shubman Gill, who had been recovering from dengue, returned to the batting nets on Thursday (October 12). This comeback has ignited hopes of his potential inclusion in the lineup for the highly anticipated World Cup match against Pakistan on Saturday (14). While several videos and pictures from his net session went viral on social media, the development was also confirmed in a news report carried by PTI.
While Gill missed the first two games against Australia and Afghanistan, the likelihood of him featuring in the marquee clash against arch-rivals Pakistan is quite high. The Indian team, recognizing the significance of Gill's return, released its left-arm throwdown specialist, Nuwan Seneviratne, ahead of the scheduled arrival in Ahmedabad to facilitate a special net session for Gill, as per the PTI report which also claimed that Gill's arrival at the Narendra Modi Stadium was marked by an intense practice session under the supervision of team doctor Rizwan.
The 24-year-old's training focused on preparing to face the left-arm deliveries from Pakistan's Shaheen Shah Afridi, featuring rapid sidearm thunderbolts that exceed 150 kilometers per hour. During his extended session, Gill faced both throwdowns and the net bowlers with notable ease. His remarkable recovery from a platelet count as low as 70,000, just days ago, is a testament to his resilience.
Despite this impressive progress, the final decision regarding Gill's participation in the India-Pakistan clash hinges on the evaluation by coach Rahul Dravid and the medical team. An intense training session in the scorching heat served to assess how Gill's body responds, especially since the match is scheduled to begin at 2 pm, testing his endurance in the post-dengue period. Cricket enthusiasts worldwide await a decision that could potentially see Shubman Gill's return in the most iconic cricket rivalry, the India-Pakistan encounter.
(With Inputs From PTI)