NEW DELHI: India's T20I vice-captain Shubman Gill will report to the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru on Monday for mandatory fitness assessment protocols that will determine his availability for the upcoming five-match T20I series against South Africa, beginning December 9.

Gill sustained a neck injury while batting on the second day of the first Test against South Africa in Kolkata and has since missed the second Test as well as the ongoing ODI series.

With the T20I squad expected to feature no surprises unless fresh injuries arise, the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee is awaiting Gill's fitness report from the Sports Science team at the CoE before finalising the squad.

"Gill was administered an injection and advised 21 days of rest and rehabilitation, which included specific exercises to strengthen the muscles of the injured area. Obviously, the sports science team would go through all his mandatory fitness tests before he starts the skills training.

"Nothing can be said unless the sports science team assesses his movements during skills training and whether he is having zero discomfort while batting," a BCCI source privy to the developments told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

As of now, the chances of Gill's return for SA T20Is seems to be 50-50.

Fully-fit Hardik to play two SMAT games

Meanwhile, there is some good news for Indian fans as Hardik Pandya has got the clearance to return to the T20 format and will be playing his first match in nearly two-and-half months against Punjab in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in Hyderabad on Tuesday.

He is also supposed to play the December 4 game between Baroda and Gujarat with national selector Pragyan Ojha in attendance during both the games to check his overall fitness before the squad is announced.

"From October 21 to November 30, Hardik didn't even move out of the COE and completed his full rehab and 'Return To Play' protocols. As of now, he has been given the all clear -- to bat and bowl in T20Is -- and he has already linked up with the Baroda team for the Punjab game. He will play on December 4 vs Gujarat and if the Indian team management doesn't summon him earlier, then he plans to play the December 6 game against Haryana also," a source in the know of the developments at the CoE informed.

(With PTI Inputs)