Former India opener Aakash Chopra has backed Ruturaj Gaikwad to be included in the Test squad if Shubman Gill is ruled out of the second Test against South Africa in Guwahati. Chopra highlighted the high number of left-handers in the playing XI and argued that it made the team vulnerable against Proteas in-form spinner Simon Harmer, who orchestrated India’s downfall in the first Test in Kolkata.
It seems unlikely that captain Shubman Gill will be fit for the second Test, which starts on November 22 at the Barsapara Stadium. Gill was hospitalized after sustaining a neck injury while batting in the first Test. Despite being released, the batsman reportedly needs a week to fully recover.
India Today understands Gill can travel with the team to Guwahati but he is unlikely to be part of the XI for the second Test.
“Should Ruturaj Gaikwad be picked in the Test squad? You may be asking how he can be picked when the squad is already announced and no one has been replaced. It is still not clear if Shubman Gill is involved. He has been discharged from the hospital but the question remains whether he will play,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube show on Tuesday.
“Just in case he’s not available, you’ll have to play somebody. Sai Sudharsan and Devdutt Padikkal sit out – two more left-handers. You’ve already got six left-handers in the XI. Do you want to go with seven? You might want to change that,” he added.
Also read: When India didn’t learn from their mistakes in the home Tests
India trained at the Eden Gardens on Tuesday, a day before flying to Guwahati. Gill was not seen there with the team while Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel and Ravindra Jadeja hit the net.
India fielded as many as six left-handers in the first Test. With three spin-bowling all-rounders – Axar Patel, Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja – all batting left-handed, India had more southpaws in the Test XI than ever before.
The abundance of left-handers made it easy for South Africa to attack with their leading off-spinner Simon Harmer winning the Man of the Match award in Kolkata. Harmer, a seasoned red-ball bowler, took eight wickets – including four in the final innings – to help South Africa successfully defend 123 and seal their first Test win on Indian soil in 15 years.
RUTURAJ IN NICE FORM
Should Gill be ruled out, India have Sai Sudharsan and Devdutt Padikkal on the bench, but both are left-handed.
Ruturaj Gaikwad has not been in India’s recent Test plans, but Chopra believes the selectors should consider the left-field option for the second Test.
India also have Abhimanyu Easwaran and Sarfaraz Khan as potential right-handed replacements for Gill in Guwahati.
Ruturaj, who last played for India in a T20I in July 2024, is yet to make his Test debut. However, the 28-year-old is in excellent domestic form, scoring 184 for West Zone in the Duleep Trophy semi-final in September. He continued this run with three fifty-plus scores, including a century for Maharashtra in the ongoing Ranji Trophy season.
Ruturaj, who is currently playing India A against South Africa A in the one-day series in Rajkot, hit 117 on November 13 and followed it up with an unbeaten 68 two days later.
“He is in excellent form. He is scoring for India A in white-ball cricket. I don’t know why he is not playing the red-ball format for India A, but wherever he is playing – Ranji Trophy or Duleep Trophy – he is always pushing himself,” Chopra said.
“He’s even batting in the middle order. He looks technically compact. He seems like he’s made for Test cricket and that’s the same place he hit a T20I century against Australia. So I’m making a case for him: if there’s any chance Shubman Gill won’t play, drop him in the team,” he added.
India are under pressure to get back to winning ways after South Africa shocked them in Kolkata. India, who have lost four of their last six home Tests, need a win in Guwahati to keep their hopes of reaching the World Test Championship final alive. They face another challenge as Guwahati, hosting a men’s Test for the first time, brings uncertainty – not least the mystery surrounding the nature of the pitch.
– The end
Issued by:
Akshay Ramesh
Published on:
November 18, 2025
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