ODI World Cup: Why Shubman Gill is not in India playing 11 against Australia, who has replaced him

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The opening of India's ODI World Cup 2023 campaign against Australia on Sunday at Chennai's MA Chidambaram Stadium had the cricketing world in a frenzy.

Fans were puzzled and surprised by the fact that ace batter Shubman Gill was not included in India's starting Lineup.

The unfortunate exclusion of Shubman Gill

Gill's absence from the starting lineup raised concerns among fans and cricket enthusiasts because he was seen as a key player for India's World Cup campaign. However, Indian captain Rohit Sharma addressed these concerns during the toss and provided insight into why Gill was unexpectedly left out.

Rohit clarified that the team had been hopeful of Gill's recovery right up until the morning of the match. Unfortunately, Gill, who hails from Punjab, was unable to fully overcome his fever, which led the management to make the challenging choice of excluding him from the playing eleven.

"Unfortunately, he (Shubman Gill) didn't recover in time. We waited until today morning, and he couldn't recover," said Rohit.

It is worth mentioning that there are many reports which suggest that Gill is battling Dengue fever.

Ishan Kishan steps in as Gill's replacement

Ishan Kishan took over as India's opening batsman after Gill was declared ineligible for the match. This was further verified by Rohit, who added, "Ishan comes in to replace him (Shubman Gill), and he will begin the batting."

Fans anticipate Ishan, a capable replacement known for his explosive batting style and adaptability, to rise to the occasion and help the side win this critical match against the Australians.

India's new bowling combination

In addition to Gill's absence, three spinners in the form of Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, and Ravindra Jadeja were added to India's starting lineup. Mohammad Shami's deliberate decision to sit out allowed India to bolster their spin attack. The team's decision was a reflection of the environment at MA Chidambaram Stadium, where spinners typically play a key role.