a day ago
Adrian le Roux replaces Soham Desai as India's new strength and conditioning coach ahead of Test series vs England
Adrian le Roux
New Delhi: Adrian le Roux, a highly respected sports scientist, has replaced Soham Desai as the Indian men's cricket team's strength and conditioning coach for their upcoming England tour. This marks Le Roux's second stint with the national team, having previously held the position from January 2002 to May 2003. His appointment was announced alongside training footage released by the BCCI as the team prepares for a five-Test series beginning June 20th at Headingley.
With head coach Gautam Gambhir overseeing the session, pace bowlers Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, and Jasprit Bumrah practiced alongside wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, and newly appointed Test captain Shubman Gill.
Following the retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill was appointed India's 37th Test captain. He leads a relatively inexperienced team aiming to secure India's first Test series victory in England in over 15 years.
England will host India in a five-test series at Headingley, Edgbaston, Lord's, Old Trafford, and The Oval. Several Indian players, some from the national team, are currently in England playing in a warm-up match against the England Lions in Northampton to prepare for the series.
After a successful six-year run with the Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League, culminating in a near-championship finish in 2025, Le Roux returned to the national team. He shared an emotional goodbye message on Instagram, reflecting on his time with the Kings and the relationships he forged.
'And with that, a six-year journey with the @punjabkingsipl comes to an end. Went all the way to the final this season In the fast-moving world of professional sport, it's easy to get caught up in the results,' he wrote. 'But every now and then you pause and realise that while it's about performance and pressure, it's also about people, shared moments and friendships that will last a lifetime. As I step into a new role with @indiancricketteam, I'll carry these memories with me.'
India's upcoming five-Test series in England marks the beginning of their new World Test Championship cycle and will be head coach Rahul Dravid's second tenure with the team. Shubman Gill will also lead the team for the first time during this significant tour.
