Virat Kohli invites ex-teammates Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant to his London home ahead of India vs England Test series
Virat Kohli may have retired from Test cricket, but his connection to the Indian team remains unshaken. Just days before India takes on England at Headingley, Kohli hosted Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, and Mohammed Siraj at his home in London.
While the gathering was informal, its timing, as well as the presence of India's new leadership core, gave the meeting an undeniable weight ahead of the high-stakes tour. As reported by RevSportz, the visit came during the team's day off.
Kohli welcomes India's new core before England test opener
Three days before India begins their five-match Test series against England, former captain Virat Kohli invited Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, and Mohammed Siraj to his London home. Reports state that the players visited on Monday, June 16, which was their scheduled off day after an intra-squad warm-up in Kent.
With Kohli recently retired from Test cricket, and now residing in England with his family, the meeting was quiet, informal, and—according to reports—a much-needed morale boost for a young Indian side preparing for life after its two most seasoned leaders.
Motivation over meals, not a strategy session
According to the mentioned portal's sources, the cricketers didn't gather to discuss possible match tactics or debate over selections. Kohli simply spent a few hours with some of the squad's key players. The group likely shared conversations, memories, and perspectives.
The gesture itself truly brings out Kohli's continued influence on Indian cricket, even from outside the dressing room. Having taken over as India's Test captain, Gill has great expectations and visible pressure placed upon him. With Rohit Sharma also stepping aside from the longer format, this Test series is the beginning of a new leadership era.
Although the meeting remained low-key and out of the camera's radar, its importance is not lost to cricket fans. Whether or not he's spotted at Headingley on match day, his short meeting with the players reminded fans and teammates alike: even if Virat Kohli is done with Tests, his influence on the team stays strong.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
27 minutes ago
- Hans India
Chris Woakes to lead pace attack as England announce playing XI for first Test
Leeds: England have announced their playing XI for the opening Test of the five-match series against India, with the familiar opening pair of Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett set to take charge at the top of the order. The first Test will begin on June 20 at Headingley, Leeds, as England look to make a strong start in home conditions against a fresh-look Indian side. The decision to persist with Crawley and Duckett comes as little surprise, with both openers coming into the series in red-hot form. The duo was instrumental in England's win over Zimbabwe in their recent four-day Test, putting together a double-century opening stand and notching up individual centuries. Duckett, in particular, has been enjoying a purple patch, translating his red-ball form into the white-ball formats during England's series against the West Indies. Crawley, though more mercurial in nature, is known for converting starts into big knocks. The right-hander will be aiming for consistency against a formidable Indian bowling attack. The opening pair will be followed by a robust middle order featuring Ollie Pope, former captain Joe Root, Harry Brook, and current skipper Ben Stokes. All eyes will be on Root, who remains England's most reliable Test batter and is coming off a match-winning performance in the recent ODI series against West Indies. Harry Brook, with a stellar Test record already under his belt, will look to stamp his authority on home soil. Ben Stokes, returning to full fitness, adds both batting depth and balance to the side. Wicketkeeper Jamie Smith, who impressed as Duckett's opening partner in white-ball cricket, slots in at No. 7 and will don the gloves for the first Test. His presence, alongside all-rounder Chris Woakes at No. 8, ensures England bat deep. In the bowling department, England will miss the services of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood due to injury, but they have gone with a pace-heavy attack led by Woakes and Brydon Carse, who will share the new ball. Josh Tongue, who impressed in earlier series, will provide the pace through the middle overs, while off-spinner Shoaib Bashir will be England's primary spin option. With Ben Stokes expected to chip in as the fifth bowler, England appear to have found the balance they were looking for heading into this crucial series. England XI for 1st Test vs India: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Shoaib Bashir, Josh Tongue.
Time of India
28 minutes ago
- Time of India
India tour of England: Test series prediction - Who said what?
Who will win the five-match Test series set to commence on June 20? (Image via X/@englandcricket & BCCI) With the first Test between India and England set to commence on June 20, tensions are high and expectations over the moon in both camps. While India get ready for their first Test without legendary duo Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, England too are navigating a period of transition. With the series marking the start of a new WTC cycle (2025-2027) as well, the series truly is the start of a new era. Ahead of the series, several big names of the sport have made predictions, with votes divided among either camp. Former cricketers , including the likes of Nasser Hussain , former England batter Nick Knight , Graeme Swann, Matthew Hayden , Dale Steyn and several others chipping in with their takes on who will win the five-match series. As fans remain on edge, here's a look at the predictions made by former cricketers ahead of the high-octane matchup. Nasser Hussain rules out India completely Former England captain Nasser Hussain has ruled out any chance of India winning the five-match Test series starting on June 20 at Headingley, Leeds. Hussain believes the Shubman Gill-led side will struggle against Ben Stokes' England. 'England have a very good record at home, and India will miss the runs and experience of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli,' Hussain wrote in his column for Mail Sport. 'It's a hard one to call, but I think home advantage will swing it England's way, and I'm going for 3-1.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like What She Did Mid-Air Left Passengers Speechless medalmerit Learn More Undo Nick Knight EXCLUSIVE: On Shubman Gill and absence of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma in England Graeme Swann's comments attract criticism Ahead of the series, Swann's comments became the subject of criticism. The 46-year-old Englishman stirred up controversy ahead of the Series, after labelling it "the perfect warm-up' ahead of the Ashes". 'They don't have Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma, their two superstars with the bat. Yes, they've got great players coming up instead, but we've got bowlers who exploit our conditions well. England must look to win this series. I will take 4-1, 3-2 at best. I hope we do well and get the confidence moving into the Ashes,' said the former England international. Monty Panesar assigns crucial role for pitches In an interaction with the former English cricketer shared his take on which side the series will tip. The 43-year-old refused or name an outright winner, and named the ideal situation for both sides to shine. Kuldeep Yadav hints at spin-friendly wicket ahead of England Test series "If it's green pitches, England might have a slight advantage. If the surfaces are flat, I think India have a great chance to win. And I suspect the ECB would want the matches to stretch into Day 4 and 5—for the spectacle of the Tendulkar-Anderson Trophy. That could work in India's favour," said the former England international. Dale Steyn expecting a very close encounter The former South Africa pacer said that it will be a very close matchup, but ended up favouring the hosts in the end. "All games will be close. But all will have a result. I think it will be 3-2 in favour of England. There will be a result in every Test match. There will be no run away win for any team, all five games will be very close," said Steyn on JioHotstar. Matthew Hayden sides with visitors The former Australian cricketer has weighed in on the upcoming series, downplaying the impact English bowlers could make. The 53-year-old said that the hosts' bowling attack is not that great', and that they have their own challenges to overcome, amidst injuries and retirements. Poll Who do you think will win the five-match Test series between India and England? India England Draw ""I don't think England bowlers are that good, they have got a number of injuries and a number of retirees as well, that will be the challenge," said the veteran. "The northern Test matches when it's zipping around that will be key, win that one and it could well be a series that goes India's way," added the Australian. Game On Season 1 kicks off with Sakshi Malik's inspiring story. Watch Episode 1 here
NDTV
37 minutes ago
- NDTV
NODWIN Gaming Joins Hands With Chess.Com And ChessBase India
In a landmark move poised to redefine the future of chess in India, NODWIN Gaming, a leader in South Asia's esports and gaming ecosystem, has announced a strategic partnership with the world's largest chess platform, and India's leading chess media and grassroots organisation, ChessBase India. The collaboration brings together three powerhouses from the worlds of esports, content, and competitive chess to create a unified ecosystem that nurtures talent, expands reach, and builds India's presence on the global chess esports stage. This strategic alliance unites the complementary strengths of three leaders in the chess and gaming ecosystem. NODWIN Gaming brings deep expertise in production, broadcast, and commercial strategy. ChessBase India offers unmatched access to India's thriving chess community and grassroots networks. contributes its expansive global platform, community, creator partnerships, and world-class tournament infrastructure. Together, they form a unique synergy that will fuel the co-creation and scaling of original IPs, deliver premium competitive formats, spark deeper engagement across both player and creator communities, and deliver great opportunities for brands to partner in the rapidly growing chess ecosystem. Speaking on the announcement, Akshat Rathee, Co-founder and Managing Director of NODWIN Gaming, said, "Chess is undergoing a cultural renaissance, from park benches and schoolrooms to sold-out esports arenas and creator streams. Chess has now become the fourth most-watched sport in the country after cricket, kabaddi, and BGMI tournaments. With this partnership, we're not just supporting a heritage game, we're aiding in its natural course of progression. By combining each organization's unique strengths, we're building a future-ready ecosystem that can take Indian chess from heritage to hype. It's time the brilliance of our grandmasters meets the energy of our digital generation." Chess is getting an accelerated global attention, with over 7.6 billion games played worldwide on in 2024 alone. The platform now boasts over 200 million registered users, with India seeing 9 million+ monthly active players, and an average of 550,000 new signups every month. Viewership has skyrocketed with 925 million total organic views, reflecting a 640% year-over-year growth. The surge in visibility was recently reflected during the World Chess Championship, which was exclusively streamed in India through the combined efforts of NODWIN Gaming, and ChessBase India. The Gukesh Dommaraju-Ding Liren final match, which saw Gukesh being crowned as the World Chess Champion, attracted over 24 million views, with peak concurrent viewership hitting 200,000. India is central to this surge. Cities like Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, and Chennai rank among the top chess-viewing regions globally. Indian users are predominantly mobile-first, with 80.9% of viewership on smartphones, and the largest age group being between 18 and 34 years old, highlighting the game's deep connection with India's digital-native Gen Z and millennial audiences. Speaking on the alliance, Sagar Shah, CEO of ChessBase India, said, "This partnership is not just a business alliance - it's a vision to grow the chess community in India from the grassroots to the grand stage. For the last decade, we've focused on building a robust chess culture in the country, and now, with NODWIN and by our side, we hope to bring forth more opportunities to all those involved in the chess ecosystem." Avadh Shah, Country Director of India, said, "Chess has been one of the most dominant and fastest growing sports in the last 3 years across India and the world. In terms of both participation and viewership, chess is experiencing record-breaking numbers-the highest we've ever seen. Given the excitement around the sport, it is only fitting that the leading companies within the ecosystem collaborate to further its development and invite partners to join this journey as well." The partnership also aligns with the rise of chess as a recognised esports discipline. At the upcoming Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025, chess will make its debut with a prize pool of $1.5 million. Leading Indian esports organization S8UL is set to represent India in competitive chess at the Esports World Cup with its powerhouse roster of Grandmasters Nihal Sarin and Aravindh Chithambaram, marking the first-ever representation of an Indian esports team in competitive chess on a global stage. Their involvement underscores the growing recognition of chess as a spectator-friendly, high-skill esport. As India prepares to make its mark on this new frontier, the alliance between NODWIN Gaming, and ChessBase India promises to build the foundational infrastructure needed for long-term growth, from top-tier broadcasts and influencer-led content to community tournaments and professional leagues. Together, NODWIN Gaming, ChessBase India, and aim to build a robust ecosystem for Indian chess, one that honors the nation's legacy, empowers creators, and establishes India as a global hub for online competitive chess.
