New Delhi: India men’s cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir has rejoined the national squad in Leeds, England, ahead of the first Test against England starting on June 20. Gambhir had flown back to India last week due to a family emergency, after reports emerged that his mother had been hospitalised with health complications.
In his absence, assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate took temporary charge of the team during an intra-squad practice match in Beckenham. Gambhir’s return comes at a crucial moment, with India set to begin a new chapter in Test cricket under a fresh leadership setup.
Gambhir’s coaching stint has had a mixed start. While India clinched the Champions Trophy earlier this year under his guidance, the team also failed to qualify for the World Test Championship (WTC) final for the first time in three cycles. The Test side has been underperforming, with five losses in their last eight Tests, including a historic home whitewash by New Zealand last year—resulting in India’s exit from WTC final contention.
The ongoing tour of England marks a new era for Indian Test cricket. With Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin having retired from the longest format in recent months, Shubman Gill will now lead the team in Tests, with Rishabh Pant serving as his deputy.
Pant, now one of the senior-most players in a young Indian squad, spoke about his growing bond with the new skipper. “I think me and Shubman have a really good camaraderie off the field. If you’re good friends off the field, it eventually comes on the field as well. That is something I’ve always believed,” Pant told reporters on Wednesday. “We keep having conversations and the kind of comfort zone we have with each other—I think that’s going to be really special for us.”
With Gambhir back in charge, all eyes will be on how this revamped Indian side performs under new leadership and coaching direction when they take on England in the first Test at Headingley, Leeds.
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