Guwahati: Shubman Gill has travelled to Guwahati with the rest of the India squad for the second Test against South Africa, but the neck injury that is on the mend is unlikely to fully heal before the game begins here on Saturday.

However, it is understood that the skipper will try his best to prove his fitness during training sessions on Thursday and Friday. The squad has landed in the city.

If sources in the Indian team are to be believed, the 26-year-old Gill is far from being 100 per cent fit, with the pain in the nape of his neck still lingering although its intensity has reduced considerably.

"Shubman has been responding well to the medical treatment provided and will travel to Guwahati with the team on 19th November, 2025," read a statement from BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia.

"He will continue to be monitored by the BCCI medical team and a decision on his participation in the 2nd Test will be taken accordingly," he added, continuing the suspense on the batting star's availability.

While he might be clinically fit, the rigours of five-day cricket could aggravate the issue and result in a longer lay-off.

With the series on line and off-spinner Simon Harmer posing a significant threat after the Kolkata Test, a competent right-hander who can take on spin is a necessity.

The current coaching staff and selection committee don't have a lot of faith in the likes of Sarfaraz Khan, Karun Nair or Abhimanyu Easwaran, even though all three handle spin well.

Their simple logic is: even though both Sai Sudharsan and Devdutt Padikkal are left-handers, bringing in someone from outside would signal a massive lack of trust in the youngsters' ability to handle pressure.

However, Sudharsan has looked far from convincing, and there is a school of thought that Dhruv Jurel, with his tighter technique, might be a better fit at No. 3.

In this backdrop, Gill, known to train even on optional days, might just want to be fit enough to bat, as even a half-fit skipper is seen as more effective than Sudharsan, Easwaran or Sarfaraz.

Also, as a new captain still earning his stripes in the dressing room, missing a Test at this nascent stage of his leadership is the last thing he would want.

A tricky call

There is another aspect to the story. Gill probably needs at least 10 days to fully recover and then complete his rehabilitation to be match-ready. But if he plays the Test match, the logical step for selectors would be to rest him from the ODI series starting November 30 in Ranchi.

With little at stake in the series, he could easily take a break and return for the T20s against South Africa.

But with his ODI deputy Shreyas Iyer far from fit after his on-field injury, the last thing Gill wants is a third captaincy contender in KL Rahul or Axar Patel, even if it means only in a stop-gap role.

One thing is certain, Gill can't realistically play the second Test, three ODIs and five T20Is in the next four weeks, along with all the air miles involved.

It could easily boomerang, and looking at the bigger picture, the emerging leader would need a break for his own and the team's greater good.