ENG vs IND | India head coach Gautam Gambhir to miss intra-squad match with family emergency

‌Indian cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir is set to miss India’s only practice match ahead of the marquee five-Test series against England as he returned home with a family emergency. With Gambhir flying back to India, assistant coaches Sitanshu Kotak and Ryan ten Doeschate, along with bowling coach Morne Morkel will be in charge of the side that will take on India A at Beckenham.

Gambhir and new Test captain Shubman Gill had earlier announced that the batting order and playing eleven will be decided after the four-day match that is set to happen behind closed doors. With Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli announcing their retirement ahead of the announcement of the Indian team for the England tour, the team management will have to decide on their replacements ahead of the first Test at Headingley in Leeds.

Karun Nair, who scored a double hundred in India A’s first unofficial Test against England Lions last month, Dhruv Jurel, who scored three fifties in four innings against England Lions, and Sai Sudharsan are the front runners to sill in the slots left by the retired duo. The team will also have to make a call between Nitish Kumar Reddy and Shardul Thakur for the seam-bowling all-rounder’s slot with Ravindra Jadeja expected to take the lone spinner’s position.

On the bowling front also, the team will have to decide on the third pacer who will start alongside Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj. Bowling coach Morkel mentioned that he was happy with the preparation of the team and sounded confident ahead of the warm-up game.

"All in all, very happy with the start so far," Morkel said ahead of the warm-up game against India A. "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 the last three days, it's a pleasing sight. There's some quality energy in this group, and that's what you need. You need to go into a Test series confident, you need to have that team spirit in the group, and I think so far they have done a great job."

India will kickstart their new World Test Championship campaign with the five-match series with the first Test scheduled to happen at Headingley in Leeds from June 20.