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IND vs SA 2nd Test: India skipper Shubman Gill is all but ruled out of the second Test against South Africa, which will be held in Guwahati, and that's a huge blow for the host, but their problem lies much deeper. Since Gill will be unavailable, the team management will have to pick someone between Devdutt Padikkal and Sai Sudharsan in their playing XI.

Sudharsan might pip Padikkal as the preferred choice as he has already played for India in this format, whereas Padikkal still hasn't made his debut. But the question isn't about experience but about perspective, and that of a left-handed batter. The host already has five left-handers in their playing XI, and after selecting either Padikkal or Sudharsan, they will have six left-handed batters. And that's when South Africa's off-spinner Simon Harmer will succeed.

Harmer had created history in the series opener as he had registered the best figures as a South African spinner in India, as he had taken an eight-for. The idea of picking six left-handers is that he will be successful again. Since the ball might turn and grip again, Harmer will pose a stiff challenge again.

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The host can exploit a loophole that is outside their current team. They will try to look beyond their picked team and might choose players who will try to help the team bounce back. But who will cut?

Will they pick a right-hander who can face Harmer's threat? Or will they back an experienced player or take fresh players in their playing XI? Or will they wait, or is the time to act already upon them?

KARUN NAIR BACK?

He couldn't take advantage in the Test series against England and had to face the consequences. He was snubbed from the Test series against the West Indies and then from the series against South Africa as well. He then tried to prove the selectors wrong by scripting history in the Ranji Trophy.

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He is the third-highest run-scorer in this tournament, and these stats only show his dominance. After playing in just five matches, he had scored 602 runs at a brilliant average of 100.33, which also includes two hundreds and as many fifties.

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