Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir is set to travel with the India A squad ahead of the Test series against England, according to a report by the ‘Times of India’. India’s five-match Test series in England is scheduled to begin on June 20.
Gautam Gambhir’s New Project With India-A
With the 2025 Champions Trophy concluded and the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 approaching, the senior team has no assignments for the next two months. To prepare for the Test series, Gambhir will accompany the India A team on their tour.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) does not have a designated head coach for the A team. It remains uncertain whether Gambhir will travel as an observer or if BCCI’s Head of Cricket, VVS Laxman, will take up the role.
Under Rahul Dravid, BCCI appointed rotating NCA coaches for India A and U-19 teams. For the first time, a senior team head coach, Gautam Gambhir, will join India A. He aims to evaluate the reserve pool and strategize for future events like the 2027 ODI World Cup, WTC, and 2026 T20 World Cup.
“Gambhir has been in discussions with the BCCI since he returned from Australia. He has expressed his desire to travel with the India ‘A’ team to get a clearer view of the reserve pool.”
”With India winning the Champions Trophy after Gambhir’s insistence for certain wild card players, one may expect him to assert more in future,” a BCCI source was quoted as saying.
Gautam Gambhir Calls for Increased India A Tours
Since Rahul Dravid’s departure from the NCA, the frequency of India A tours has decreased, with most being limited to shadow tours before major series. Gautam Gambhir emphasizes the need for more India A tours to strengthen the talent pipeline.
“One of the crucial issues identified is reviving India ‘A’ tours. There have been only a handful ‘A’ series after Dravid left NCA and all of those were shadow tours for a marquee series. Gambhir too believes that there needs to be more ‘A’ tours. That’s why he wants to take stock of the situation firsthand,” the source said in the same interview (via TOI).
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