Breaking: Shubman Gill Down With DENGUE, Set To Miss Cricket World Cup 2023 Opening Game Vs Australia
Shubman Gill, who has scored many hundreds in ODIs this year, might miss the opening World Cup match due to dengue. Ishan Kishan is expected to take his spot if he is unable to play.
Shubman Gill, the Indian cricket team's launching batter, may miss the first match of the Cricket World Cup 2023 against Australia on October 8.
The reason is dengue fever. The Punjab-born player is suffering from dengue fever and was unable to practise at Chennai's MA Chidambaram Stadium on Thursday. According to an Indian Express story, the batter is currently receiving medical treatment.
Gill tested positive for dengue earlier this week, and another round of testing will be performed on Friday. His inclusion in the starting lineup for Sunday's opening against Australia will be determined by the results of the tests.
If Shubman is unable to recover in time for the first match against Australia, it will be interesting to watch who gets out to open with skipper Rohit Sharma.
India's opening batsmen will be left-handed Ishan Kishan and right-handed KL Rahul. Given how well Rahul has established himself as India's No. 5 batsman, Kishan is likely to open the innings against Australia in the World Cup opener.
India will suffer as a result of Shubman's absence. He has been in superb form this year, particularly in ODIs. Not to mention that Shubman finished as the highest run-scorer in the Indian Premier League 2023 (IPL 2023) with 890 runs.
He also finished the Asia Cup 2023 as the leading run-scorer with 302 runs. Shubman has hit 104, 74, 27 not out, 121, 19, 58, and 67 not out in the last several innings. Shubman had a difficult time in the West Indies, but he recovered quickly.
The good news for India is that no additional injuries have been reported in the camp. Ishan, who has recently performed well at several batting positions, is also a capable substitute.
The top left-hand-right-hand combination could be a blessing in disguise for the hosts, who will be hoping to get off to a winning start at the World Cup. India's No. 3 batting order will be Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, and KL Rahul.
India's batting is their strength, and Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma will be hoping that it performs well in the competition. Shubman should be available for the next match between India and Afghanistan.