"Strategic move by Indian team to avoid trolls!" - Fans react as Shubman Gill set to miss 4th IND v SA 2025 T20I due to foot injury

Team India star Shubman Gill has been ruled out of the fourth T20I against South Africa due to a foot injury. The match is set to be played on Wednesday, December 17, in Lucknow.

The news came in just some time before the scheduled toss time. Shubman Gill failed to perform well in the first three matches of the series. He has managed to score just 32 runs at an average of 10.66 and a strike rate of 103.22.

While he has been ruled out due to injury, fans believed that this was a strategic move by India to avoid being trolled for dropping the vice-captain following his poor form.

"Strategic move by Indian team to avoid trolls!," a fan wrote on X.

TheAlphaMind

@neuralSchema

Strategic move by Indian team to avoid trolls!

"That's Good News , Atleast uski jagah Kisi ko Mouka to milega Kab Tak Aise player ko Ham Vc ke naam par Khilate rahenge (At least someone else will get a chance in his place, how long will we keep playing him on the name of vice-captain)," another fan tweeted.

CricVerse🌍

@CricVerse07

That's Good News , Atleast uski jagah Kisi ko Mouka to milega Kab Tak Aise player ko Ham Vc ke naam par Khilate rahenge

Below are some other reactions from fans on X -

Gajanan Nagekar

@gajanagekar

I am happy someone will get a chance to play.

yaser khan

@ar_yaserkhan

Dekh rahe ho kaisa injury ka bahana de kar gill ko bitha diya.

ɢᴜᴊᴊᴜ

@BeingSky14

Miss due to injury hmmmmmm🤭

Nishant

@sportsfolif247

Team Mangement to Gill- Tumko pata nahi hai lekin tum injured ho😂😂

Saqib

@cricfooot

Availability was the only thing consistent anyway.

Sanju Samson could replace Gill at the top alongside Abhishek Sharma for this contest. Notably, before Gill's return to the T20I side, India's designated opening pair in the format was that of Abhishek and Samson.

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Shubman Gill's form in T20Is has not been great since his return

Shubman Gill had last played a T20I in 2024 before he returned to the set-up during the Asia Cup 2025. He was made the vice-captain of the T20I side. Gill did not have a great Asia Cup 2025 as such. He made just 127 runs from seven innings at an average of 21.16 and a strike rate of 151.19.

In the next T20I series against Australia, he made 132 runs from five matches at an average of 44 and a strike rate of 136.08. His performance has been poor compared to the Asia Cup and the Australia series in the ongoing games against South Africa.

With him being the vice-captain and the T20 World Cup not far away, his form is a major concern for the Men in Blue heading into the marquee tournament.