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ODI World Cup 2023: Team India arrive at the Chepauk stadium without Shubman Gill

India's talismanic opener Shubhman Gill will be missing the awaited clash against Australia in India's opening match of the ICC World Cup.

By Soumya | Oct 8, 2023 | 2 Min Read

India vs Australia is one of the most mouthwatering clash on the calendar of the ICC World Cup. Australia captain Pat Cummins won the toss and chose to bat first at a batting-friendly MA Chidambaram Stadium. The Chepauk, a venue that has witnessed a number of classic games, is set to ink a fresh chapter in the epic rivalry between India and Australia. If the weather allows, the fans could be in for a banger of a contest that lives up to the Sunday blockbuster billing. However, India will definitely miss the service of their star opener Shubhman Gill in this epic encounter against the Aussies.

India without Shubman at the top

India is forced to make a last-minute change at the top of the order. Shubman Gill has been down with dengue in the days before this match. As things stand currently, the Indian Captain, Rohit Sharma has said during the toss that he has not recovered in time. Gill landed in Chennai with a bit of fever and wearing a mask. Subsequently, he skipped India’s first optional session on Thursday. However, the worst news was that he was diagnosed with dengue. Although coach Rahul Dravid hasn’t ruled him out completely, the prospect of him participating looks highly unlikely. Due to his illness, he will required to give the body a considerable amount of time to recover from the disease. Then he will also have to recover his strength to be fully match-fit.

In Gill’s absence, Ishan Kishan will get another chance as an opener. Kishan has had a reasonable amount of success in the past playing in that position. This includes scoring the fastest-ever ODI double-century. India will also have to solve the enigma of No.8. The temptation of going ahead with either Ravichandran Ashwin or Shardul Thakur is legit. But Chennai’s black-soil pitch may just give the off-spinner the go-ahead. Ashwin also deserves a place in that position given the fact he knows every inch of his hometown pitch.