Gautam Gambhir gives crucial update on Shubman Gill's comeback ahead of T20I series against South Africa

India head coach Gautam Gambhir confirmed that T20I vice captain Shubman Gill is ready to make his comeback ahead of the five-match T20I series against South Africa which will start from December 9.

Gill, who suffered a neck injury in the first Test at Eden Gardens in the two-match series against South Africa, has been added to the squad after missing the second Test and three ODIs due to injury.

Speaking during the post-match presser, Gambhir said, "Shubman is ready to start. That is why he has been selected. And obviously, he is fit and fine, hungry to go."

Gill yet to find Mojo in T20Is

Gill has returned to India’s T20I squad as vice-captain this year, but he hasn’t been able to replicate his strong Test and ODI form in the shortest format of the game. In 12 T20I innings, he has scored only 259 runs at an average of 28.77 and a strike rate of 143, with a best score of 47. Six times in these matches, he has been dismissed for under 20 runs.

Hardik to feature in T20Is against South Africa

For the upcoming series against South Africa, Suryakumar Yadav will lead the team. Hardik Pandya, who missed the T20I tour of Australia due to injury, is back in the squad. This will be his first T20I appearance since India’s Asia Cup Super Four match against Sri Lanka in September 2025. He missed both the Asia Cup final against Pakistan and the series in Australia.

Rinku Singh, who was part of the squad for the Australia T20Is, has been left out for this series.

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BCCI on Shubman Gill

When the BCCI announced the squad, they noted that Gill still needs fitness clearance from the Board’s Centre of Excellence before he can play in the five-match home series against South Africa.

India squad for T20I series against South Africa

Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shubman Gill (vice-captain), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wicketkeeper), Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, and Washington Sundar.