VVS Laxman To Spearhead India's Preparations In Gautam Gambhir's Absence: Report
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Gautam Gambhir returned to India earlier this week due to a medical emergency in his family. He is expected to rejoin the squad ahead of the first Test.
Former India batter VVS Laxman is expected to oversee India's preparation for the first Test against England until the return of India's head coach, Gautam Gambhir, who is still in India, tending to his ill mother.
The first Test of the five-match series between India and England is scheduled to take place at Headingley in Leeds from June 20 to 24.
As per a leading media website, Laxman, who also leads the National Cricket Academy (NCA), is already in London ahead of India Under-19s' month-long tour of the United Kingdom.
The junior side will play five youth ODIs starting June 27, with two youth Tests scheduled for Beckenham and Chelmsford in July.
In Gambhir's absence, the former India great also guided a second-string India team in a T20 series in South Africa late last year and was also India's head coach for the five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe in July 2024, where, for the first time in his career, Shubman Gill captained Team India.
Gambhir returned to India on Friday
India head coach Gautam Gambhir on Friday returned to the country after his mother, Seema Gambhir, had to be hospitalised due to a health emergency, a BCCI source told PTI.
The source said Gambhir had to fly back to attend to his mother, who suffered a heart attack and is currently in the ICU in a New Delhi hospital.
The Shubman Gill-led Indian Test squad is in the UK to play a five-match series against England starting June 20 in Leeds.
'Gautam's mother had a heart attack on Wednesday. He and his family left for India on Thursday, and they have reached Delhi," the BCCI source informed.
In Gambhir's absence, assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate is assuming the team's charge during the four-day intra-squad match between India and India A, which begins on Friday.
He is having assistance from other coaching staff, such as bowling coach Morne Morkel and batting coach Sitanshu Kotak.
Gambhir is expected to return to England in a week's time if everything goes well at his home.
'His mother is showing signs of recovery, although she is still in the ICU. In all likelihood, he will be back in the UK before the start of the opening Test (starting June 20) if all goes well."
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