Big blow for Team India ahead of first Test vs England, head coach Gautam Gambhir has…
Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir. (Source: X)
Team India are busy preparing for the first Test in the their five-match Test series against England at Beckenham in Kent. The first India vs England Test will begin at Headingley in Leeds on June 20 but days before the game, head coach Gautam Gambhir has flown back to India.
According to media reports, Gambhir's mother Seema Gambhir has suffered a heart attack. The former India opener's mother is currently in ICU in a hospital in New Delhi. Gautam Gambhir has flown back to New Delhi to check on his mother but is expected to rejoin with the team ahead of the first Test.
India are beginning their new World Test Championships (WTC) cycle with the series against England. They have won only 1 out of the their last 8 Tests and lost 6 matches in this period – including three on the trot at home.
Team India will be missing the services of three stalwarts with Ravichandran Ashwin, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli all retiring from Test cricket. Gambhir had taken over as the head coach of the Indian side after Rahul Dravid stepped down from the position after winning the T20 World Cup 2024 title. Indians will be led by a new Test skipper in Shubman Gill, who will make his captaincy debut in the longest format at Headingley next week.
Head Coach Gautam Gambhir is set to return to India due to a family emergency. [@RevSportzGlobal]
– He is likely to re-join the team early next week. 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/YzPIErt6ir
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) June 13, 2025
Meanwhile, India's bowling coach Morne Morkel revealed that consistency will be the key for the Indian bowlers if they hope to thrive in English conditions.
'I think consistency is crucial in England and there is consistency when we practice, there's consistency off the field, finding your process, what's going to work for you as an individual,' Morkel said on the sidelines of India's training session in Beckenham.
'We've got a great variation, variety in our attack, guys with different skill sets so they can do that and still execute the basics well,' he added.
India last played Test match cricket in early January, during the Sydney Test against Australia. Several players in the current Indian squad, including Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan, will be featuring in their maiden Test series on English soil.
'All in all, happy with the start so far. I was a little bit nervous in terms of the lack of red ball we've played but seeing how the guys are moving around and training in the last three days is a pleasing sight.
'We have a fantastic group. There's some quality energy and that's what you need. You need to go into a Test series confident and have that team spirit,' the former South Africa pacer added.
India will begin a four-day intra-squad warm-up game against India 'A' team members starting in Beckenham, on Friday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
39 minutes ago
- India.com
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill Create History After 8 Years With Twin Tons On Day 1 Vs England At Headingley
In a defining statement of India's generational shift in red-ball cricket, openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill carved their names into the history books with sublime centuries on Day 1 of the first Test against England at Headingley. Double Ton After 8 Years Marking a rare feat last achieved by Indian batters in 2016, the duo became the first Indian pair in eight years to score hundreds on the opening day of a Test match. Their landmark partnership powered India to a dominant 359/3 at stumps, firmly placing the visitors in command of the series opener. The 100-run partnership between them not only frustrated England's bowlers but also reminded spectators of the calm dominance India once enjoyed under Kohli's leadership, now being redefined by a younger, fearless generation. Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag were the first pair to achieve the landmark. Against South Africa in Bloemfontein in 2001, Sachin made 155 runs, while batting at number six, Sehwag smacked 105. 16 years later, the pair of Shikhar Dhawan and Cheteshwar Pujara achieved the same feat against Sri Lanka. Jaiswal and Gill became the third Indian pair. IND Vs ENG Day 1 Highlights India ended Day 1 in commanding fashion at 359/3 at stumps, fueled by centuries from Yashasvi Jaiswal (101) and Shubman Gill (127)*, plus a supportive 65* from Rishabh Pant. Headingley's surface played true after the toss, vindicating England's decision to bowl first, though the pitch is expected to wear slightly on Day 2, potentially aiding spinners later in the match. Who Takes the Lead on Day 2 India's top order has held strong, and with Gill and Pant at the crease, India could extend their lead early. England's new-ball bowlers, particularly Brydon Carse, Chris Woakes, and Shoaib Bashir, must find early breakthroughs, while India's openers must stay cautious and build further dominance.
Time of India
40 minutes ago
- Time of India
IND vs ENG: Shubman Gill, Jonny Bairstow's heated sledging war resurfaces
Shubman Gill of India (AP Photo/Scott Heppell) NEW DELHI: As Shubman Gill marked his captaincy debut with a brilliant unbeaten century at Headingley on Friday, an old verbal exchange between him and England's Jonny Bairstow resurfaced online, going viral across cricket circles. The clip, originally from the final Test of the 2024 India-England series in Dharamshala, captures the two batters engaging in a light-hearted yet sharp sledging battle. The moment unfolded after Gill had scored a fine century but was soon dismissed by James Anderson. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Reportedly, Gill had earlier told Anderson, who had just become the first pacer to take 700 Test wickets, that he should retire. When Bairstow came out to bat in England's second innings, he decided to revisit the conversation. Bairstow: "What did you say to Jimmy about him retiring?" Gill: "I told him he should retire." Bairstow: "And then he got you out next ball?" Gill: "So what? He can get me out after my 100." Bairstow: "100 percent." Gill: "How many hundreds do you have this series?" Bairstow: "How many have you scored, full stop?" Watch: Though the exchange ended with smirks, the scoreboard soon tilted India's way. Bairstow was dismissed just four balls later by Kuldeep Yadav, and India won the match by an innings to seal the series 4-1. Poll Who do you think performed better in the sledging exchange: Shubman Gill or Jonny Bairstow? Shubman Gill Jonny Bairstow Both were equally entertaining Neither, it was just banter Now, months later, Gill has led from the front in his first innings as India's Test captain, scoring a commanding 127 not out against England in the series opener at Headingley. Yashasvi Jaiswal credits Shubman Gill after maiden Test ton in England: 'I love it' With Jaiswal's 101 and Pant's unbeaten 65, India finished Day 1 on 359/3, firmly in control. The resurfaced sledging video has added another layer of drama to the new series. While England, without Bairstow, look to regroup, Shubman Gill's performance, both with the bat and as leader, signals a confident new era for Indian Test cricket. Game On Season 1 kicks off with Sakshi Malik's inspiring story. Watch Episode 1 here
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Yashasvi Jaiswal wanted match-like pressure in nets, India teammate reveals opener's promise before 1st Test vs England
India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal's remarkable Test century at Headingley was one of the key talking points from the side's dominant outing on the opening day of the Test. After scoring a superb 101 in challenging conditions against England, Jaiswal was joined by teammate Dhruv Jurel for a post-match chat that offered fans a candid peek into his preparation and mindset. India's Yashasvi Jaiswal walks off the field after losing his wicket on day one of the first cricket test match between England and India(AP) The pair, long-time teammates, spoke on camera in a video shared by the BCCI, where Jurel highlighted the self-imposed pressure Jaiswal carried to perform in England, even before the official series began. 'When we were playing for India A, you told me you just have to score runs in England no matter what,' Jurel recalled. 'Even when the ball was moving a lot, you wanted the same challenge in the nets. I think that stubbornness is what makes you different. I've seen it since we were kids. But tell everyone what you're like off the field when there's no match.' Jaiswal responded with a grin: 'You tell them!' He added, 'I don't do much. When I need to be serious, I stay serious. I focus on my preparation and try to keep my mind calm. That really helps me.' The 23-year-old's hundred at Leeds continued an extraordinary pattern; he has now scored centuries in his first Test in the West Indies, Australia, and England. On Friday, Jaiswal weathered difficult early spells, battled cramps in both hands, and still managed to hammer 16 boundaries and a six in his 159-ball effort. 'Whenever I come here, I just want to give my best for my team and my country. I really enjoy practising alone and preparing myself. I try to make sure every ball I face in practice helps me when I'm in tough situations,' he said. 'You know this too, that there are so many moments when we're under pressure.' Recalling a key moment from the India 'A' build-up, Jaiswal added: 'Harshit Rana and Bumrah bhai were bowling really well. I wasn't scoring runs easily but I kept playing. That gave me a lot of confidence and belief that I can survive and get through tough phases.' India 359/3 Alongside Jaiswal, Shubman Gill made an excellent start to his captaincy stint, remaining unbeaten on 127 at the end of the day's play. Gill remained a composed figure throughout his stay at the crease on Day 1, and will be aiming to continue with the same intensity on Saturday. Rishabh Pant, too, showed his class as he walked back unbeaten on 65 at the end of day's play, with India comfortably dominating the English bowlers.
