India were on Friday dealt with a huge blow ahead of their ODI World Cup opener against Australia, as Shubman Gill was doubtful for the clash after he was reported to have been suffering from dengue.
India are scheduled to take on Australia in their World Cup opener in Chennai on Sunday (8 October).
Should Gill be ruled out against Australia, Ishan Kishan could open with Rohit Sharma.
The BCCI is yet to confirm the nature of the illness but head coach Rahul Dravid did not want to throw in the towel yet with 36 hours still to go for the match.
“He is feeling better today. The medical team is monitoring him, and he is doing better,” Dravid said during a press conference in Chennai on Friday.
Dravid, who is known for being non-committal, further played it safe.
“He is not technically out for the first game. The medical team is monitoring him and (we) will take the decision after tomorrow,” he said.
However, the situation might just not be bright after all.
“Gill is not well and he is in no position to play at least first two games (of the WC),” a BCCI source privy to the developments told PTI on condition of anonymity.
Earlier, the BCCI had said they were waiting for updates on Gill.
“He’s under the weather, the medical team is closely monitoring him. We are hoping he gets better soon. We will have to wait on more updates from the medical team,” the medical update from BCCI stated.
“Shubman has had a high fever since landing in Chennai. His tests are being done, and a call will be taken on his participation in the opening game,” the BCCI source said.
If dengue is confirmed in tests, Gill could miss a couple of games in the World Cup.
The recovery from dengue normally takes 7-10 days for a player to be match-fit again. However, if there is a significant drop in the platelet count, his recuperation could take much more time.
While Gill could be a non-starter against Australia, there is a high chance that he won’t play against Afghanistan (11 October) and Pakistan (14 October) in case the recovery takes more time.
“Let’s not jump the gun. If it’s normal viral fever, he could play on antibiotics but it’s completely the medical team’s call,” the source said.
Gill, who has scored 1,200 runs this season, has forged a successful opening stand with skipper Rohit Sharma of late.
If he is absent for a long period of time, it could be a big setback for the Indian team.
With inputs from PTI
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