India's Test captain Shubman Gill took a blow to his thumb during a training session on Thursday, one day before the team's warm-up fixture against Sri Lanka A in Colombo. Gill was batting in the nets when he suffered the knock and required medical attention, though he returned to training after receiving initial treatment.
According to a report by Yahoo Sports, the injury is the latest in a growing list of fitness concerns for the Indian touring party. The squad arrived in Sri Lanka on Tuesday and began training on Wednesday in preparation for both the warm-up match and the upcoming Test series.
The three-day warm-up game against Sri Lanka XI was scheduled to begin Friday. India's ability to field a full-strength side was already in question before Gill's latest scare.
Jasprit Bumrah, one of India's premier fast bowlers, is unavailable for the series entirely. His absence opened the door for Auqib Nabi to earn his first India call-up. Washington Sundar suffered a hamstring problem during the ODI series against England and looks unlikely to feature in the opening Test. Sai Sudharsan is also absent from the travelling squad, remaining in Bengaluru to complete rehabilitation from a toe injury at the Centre of Excellence. His participation in the first Test remains uncertain.
Nitish Kumar Reddy and Harshit Rana were both ruled out before the tour began, adding to the depth problems facing team management.
Gill's thumb knock came during a routine session, which raises broader questions about the workload being placed on Indian players across overlapping formats. A thumb injury may seem minor compared to a hamstring or toe problem, but it adds to a pattern that has been building throughout the lead-up to this tour.
