The Indian cricket team might be off to a bright start against Australia in their opening Cricket World Cup 2023 match but the team isn't yet operating at full strength. India's opening batter Shubman Gill, who reportedly contracted dengue a few days ago, remains unavailable because of his health issue. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has already ruled him out of India's second match of the tournament against Afghanistan. In fact, it has now been reported that Gill was also hospitalised in Chennai owing to a low platelet count.
It has been reported that Gill's progress is being closely observed by the BCCI medical team. But, at present, he is in no position to make a comeback. His platelet count has been low for a while and such a situation prompted the management to shift him to a hospital in Chennai. But, now the player is out.
"Shubman Gill was on drip at the Chennai team hotel for the last couple of days. However his platelet count dropped to 70,000 and as it is a case with dengue patients, once the count is below 100,000, you are admitted to a medical facility as a precautionary measure. Once the count again goes above 100,000, he would be discharged," a BCCI source told PTI.
Gill was reportedly in Chennai's multi-care speciality hospital 'Kauvery' and the Indian team's doctor Rizwan is staying with the batter to monitor his progress.
"Team India batter Shubman Gill will not be travelling with the team to Delhi on 9th October 2023. The opening batter who missed the team's first fixture in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 against Australia in Chennai is set to miss the team's next fixture against Afghanistan in Delhi on the 11th of October. He will stay back in Chennai and will be under the supervision of the medical team," the BCCI statement said on Monday.
Not many members of the Indian team have managed to see Gill since they all reached Chennai ahead of the Australia clash. The BCCI has its fingers crossed over Gill's availability for the Pakistan clash, which will be held on October 14. But, the match might be coming a little too soon for the star batter.
If Gill's situation improves, he could be flown to Ahmedabad directly ahead of the Pakistan clash but proving his match fitness in such a short span of time after contracting dengue could be tricky.