GILL TEST FITNESS , PANDYA SET FOR DOMESTIC GRIND: INDIA’S POWER DUO REBOOT

Indian cricket fans can finally exhale a bit. Two Big names are on the comeback trail through their paths Look pretty different right now. Shubman Gill had to the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru on Monday for a crucial fitness test. At the same time, Hardik Pandya has already gotten the green light and his gearing up for a return to domestic cricket.

Gill in a race against time He heard his neck batting on Day 2 of the first Test against South Africa in Kolkata, which knocked him out of the second Test and the current ODI series. Since then, he is spend three weeks resting, working through rehab and focusing on strength training. Now everything comes down to Monday. The COE sports science team will put him through the usual battery of test if he is pain free and moving well. The selectors are headed by Ajit Agarkar won’t waste time bringing him back for the five match T 20 I series against South Africa starting December 9th.

Still nothing Settle down. One person at the COE put it bluntly, nothing certain until the sports science team sees him in skills training and make sure he is batting without any discomfort. At this point, it really could go either way.

Pandya’s story feels a little more straightforward. He’s put in 42 days at the COE recovering from a left squad injury picked up during the 2025 Asia Cup. Now he is good to go cleared to bat and ball and will play his first game in almost two and a half months when he turns out for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy against Punjab on Tuesday. He is also said to play against Gujarat and maybe Haryana. These matches are not just tune ups and they give the national selectors including Pragyan Ojha, a close look at his fitness and form. If Pandya Look sharp , he’s got a real shot at joining the T20I eyes quiet for South Africa, bring him back the balance India needs from a top all rounder.

So what are the stake here? If Gill passes his test and slots back in India’s top order, instantly field sturdier heading into the South Africa series. Pandey if he fires In the SMAT. Brings power with the bad options with the ball and the extra edge in the field.

But if Gill cannot go, selectors might need to reshuffle. Maybe Leaning one less experience batters. Pandya’s Return, on the other hand, could mean dropping someone else to keep the XI balanced.

With the South Africa due to India is just around the corner, there is a buzz of cautions optimism in the Indian camp. How Gill fares on Monday and how Pandya looks on his domestic return will probably decide if India heads into the series at fully in that or if last minute changes are on the. Parts.