The situation with Shubman Gill’s health looks to worsen hour by hour for Team India. The news that the star opener had recovered from a case of dengue fever on Monday evening was good news for Rohit Sharma and his team, who are currently in New Delhi in preparation for the Afghanistan game on Wednesday. However, Gill is still questionable for the crucial World Cup match against Pakistan at his favourite venue, Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium. The most recent news regarding the youngster, though, is shocking. According to rumours, Gill’s World Cup participation may now be in doubt, and selectors are preparing to decide who will take his place.

With 1230 runs scored, the most of any player in the format this year, at a strike rate of 72.35, five centuries, and as many fifty-pluses, Gill entered the 2023 World Cup as the Indian team’s most effective batsman. However, before he could begin his campaign—one that the world of cricket still awaits following the potential he displayed over the previous nine months—Gill arrived in Chennai suffering from a high fever and ultimately tested positive for dengue.

The 24-year-old has been officially disqualified from Wednesday’s match against Afghanistan after missing India’s opening match against Australia. Dengue tends to keep the body weakened even days after returning a negative test for the virus, but Gill and the rest of the Indian team are still optimistic that he will recover from the viral infection within this week. And as a result, he is ineligible to play against Pakistan. Additionally, he might not play against Bangladesh on October 19 in Pune.

According to a PTI report, the selectors may decide whether to keep a replacement for Gill on hand in light of Gill’s health problems. The first choice for a backup opener will be Ruturaj Gaikwad who was part of the just concluded Australia series and scored a half-century in Mohali and was chosen as an opener during the Australia series left-handed batting star Yashasvi Jaiswal. Both players performed admirably during the recently finished Asian Games competition, which India won.

Ishan Kishan started the first game in Gill’s place but struggled early on. Before the action moves to Ahmedabad for the vital Pakistan match, the left-hander will have an opportunity to demonstrate his value once more in the match against Afghanistan.