Fingers remain crossed over Shubman Gill’s prospects of featuring in the upcoming T20I series against South Africa, which begins on December 9. The India Test and ODI captain, scheduled to reach the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru on Tuesday, is to be assessed following a neck injury sustained during the Eden Test.

With barely a week to go for the T20Is, it is understood that Gill’s assessment will be done in the next few days before the squad for the five-match series is finalised. “Shubman’s condition is better, so one can still have some hope regarding his return (for the T20Is),” a BCCI source said on Monday.

India, however, are set to have Hardik Pandya back for the series. The all-rounder will be available for Baroda’s Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy game against Punjab in Hyderabad on Tuesday as well, their head coach Mukund Parmar confirmed.

National selector Pragyan Ojha is expected to be present at the game to evaluate Hardik’s match-fitness.