India’s preparations for the upcoming five-match Test series against England have received a positive boost, with head coach Gautam Gambhir leading the squad in Leeds. Gambhir was back at Headingley on June 18, overseeing the team’s extensive training sessions alongside his coaching staff as they gear up for the big series opener beginning on June 20.
Gambhir had flown back to India on June 11 following a medical emergency involving his mother, who had been hospitalised after a heart attack. As a result, he missed the team’s three-day warm-up fixture in Beckenham, which featured both the senior Test squad and the India A contingent. His mother’s condition has since then improved, allowing the coach to reunite with the team just two days before the first Test, which is supposed to be a truly enthralling feature.
In his absence, the training responsibilities were managed by assistant coaches Ryan ten Doeschate, Sitanshu Kotak, along with bowling coach Morne Morkel. They were given added support by India A coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar and VVS Laxman, who was also in England as part of the A team’s setup.
This test series will mark the beginning of India’s World Test Championship (WTC) 2025–27 schedule, and expectations reign high from the new leadership duo—head coach Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill. The team will be looking to recover after recent disappointments, including a home series loss to New Zealand and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy defeat against Australia.
Despite their impressive 4-1 Test series win over England earlier this year at home, the upcoming game presents a different challenge altogether. Both sides will be keen to make a strong start to the new WTC cycle, adding more intensity to the highly anticipated Leeds opener