Credit: BCCI
Just a few days are left before the new-looked Indian team takes on the hosts England for a five-match Test series starting on June 20. Star players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will not be a part of the squad for the England series as both the players announced their retirement from the red-ball format in May. Apart from that, off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket way back in December 2024 during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy down under.
Young star batter Shubman Gill has been appointed as new Test captain for England tour with Rishabh Pant as his deputy. Ahead of the much-awaited series, Indian Head Coach Gautam Gambhir gave a pep talks to the squad where he also mentioned Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and R. Ashwin and motivated the team to something big.
“All I want to say is there are two ways of looking at this group. One is that we are without our three most experienced players, or we’ve got this phenomenal opportunity to do something special," Gambhir said in a video shared by he BCCI.
I think we can have a memorable tour: Gautam Gambhir
Speaking further, Gautam Gambhir motivated the Indian team to have a memorable tour in England and give their full commitment for the national team. India haven’t won a Test series in England after 2007 and will look to break the streak this time under Shubman Gill’s captaincy.
“And when I look around this group, the hunger, the passion and the commitment to do something special… If we make sacrifices, if we come out of our comfort zones, 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 we start that today. Start enjoying playing for the country because there’s no bigger honour," Gambhir said.
