Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir addressed the full squad and support staff to officially begin the final phase of preparations for the upcoming England tour. With India A’s fixtures against the England Lions now complete, the focus shifts to the intra-squad match and the upcoming five-Test series.
During the session, Gambhir welcomed Adrian le Roux as the new strength and conditioning coach and acknowledged the latest red-ball inclusions, Sai Sudharsan and Arshdeep Singh. He also commended Karun Nair’s determination as he returns to the national setup after seven years.
Gautam Gambhir further congratulated Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant on their elevation to leadership roles. In his address, he acknowledged the significant transition phase the team is entering, especially with the recent retirements of veterans Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin ahead of the new World Test Championship cycle (2025–27).
“Guys, all I want to say is, there are two ways to look at this tour. One is, ‘We are without our three most experienced players’, the other is, ‘We have got this phenomenal opportunity to do something special for the country’. When I look around this group, I see the hunger, the passion, and the committment to do something special,” Gambhir said in a video released on bcci.tv.
“We make sacrifices, if we come out of our comfort zone, if we start fighting, not every day, but every session, every hour, and every ball, I think we can have a memorable tour. So, make sure that we start that from today only,” Gambhir added.
https://www.bcci.tv/bccilink/videos/hMAIjgpQ
Team India To Face India A In Intra-Squad Showdown Beginning June 13
India’s final phase of preparation for the England tour will feature a four-day intra-squad match against India A, scheduled to start on June 13 in Beckenham. The opening Test of the five-match series against England will get underway on June 20 at Headingley in Leeds, marking the beginning of the fourth edition of the World Test Championship (WTC).
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