Gautam Gambhir returns home from England due to a sudden family emergency, just days before India’s warm-up match against India A. His absence comes at a critical time as India prepares for the five-Test series against England. In his place, assistant coaches Sitanshu Kotak, Ryan ten Doeschate, and Morne Morkel will lead the team’s preparations.
Gautam Gambhir Returns Home: Sudden Exit Disrupts India’s Warm-Up Plans Before England Series
In an unexpected turn of events, Gautam Gambhir returns home from England due to a family emergency, creating a temporary leadership gap in India’s Test squad preparations. The head coach left for New Delhi on Wednesday, just days before India’s warm-up game against India A in Beckenham. His absence comes at a critical stage, with the first Test against England scheduled to begin on June 20 in Leeds.
In Gambhir’s absence, assistant coaches Sitanshu Kotak and Ryan ten Doeschate, along with bowling coach Morne Morkel, will take charge of the team during the practice match. This fixture is India’s only red-ball game before the main series and is essential for finalizing key player roles and combinations.
Gautam Gambhir returns home at a time when the Indian team is navigating major changes. The retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have left two vacant spots in the top order. Young batters like Karun Nair, B Sai Sudharsan, and Abhimanyu Easwaran are now in contention to fill those roles.
Karun Nair impressed in the recent unofficial Tests against the England Lions, scoring 259 runs, including a double-century. Dhruv Jurel also showed strong form with 227 runs and three half-centuries, while Easwaran contributed with two fifties. KL Rahul, likely to open with Yashasvi Jaiswal, scored 116 and 51 in his only outing at Northampton.
Decisions also need to be made about the seam-bowling allrounder. Shardul Thakur and Nitish Reddy are competing for the spot, with both picking up two wickets each in the recent matches. The pace bowling unit will revolve around Jasprit Bumrah, with Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, and Prasidh Krishna battling for the remaining two spots.
Despite the setback, bowling coach Morkel remained positive. “There’s great energy in the camp,” he said. “The boys have worked hard, and even without much red-ball cricket, they’ve looked sharp in training.”
The upcoming series marks the start of India’s new World Test Championship cycle and the first under Shubman Gill’s leadership in Test cricket. With high expectations, India needs solid preparation something Gambhir was supposed to oversee closely.
While Gautam Gambhir returns home at a crucial point, BCCI officials remain hopeful he will rejoin the squad before the Leeds Test. For now, the coaching team is focused on maintaining momentum and ensuring India is fully prepared for a challenging tour in English conditions.
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