Shubman Gill, recently appointed as India’s Test skipper and T20 vice-captain, was notably absent from the Duleep Trophy 2025 match against East Zone. Despite being named captain for the tournament, Gill’s absence led to Ankit Kumar taking over leadership duties. Initially, the reason for his withdrawal was unclear; however, it has been revealed that he was sidelined due to a bout of flu, which kept him confined to his home in Chandigarh for several days. Following medical advice, Gill was ruled out of the quarterfinal to prioritize rest and recovery. His absence has proven to be a setback for North Zone, who were relying heavily on his form and experience in the longer format of the game. Now fully recovered, Shubman Gill has resumed light training and fitness work at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru. He is expected to travel to Dubai in the coming days in preparation for the Asia Cup 2025 and is likely to be among the first group of players to arrive.
