Gambhir takes charge of training ahead of SL
Gautam Gambhir was seen keeping a close eye on the players and giving some valuable batting tips to wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson. India’s new head coach Gautam Gambhir on Wednesday took charge of his first practice session ahead of the first T20I against Sri Lanka in Pallekele. The Indian team arrived in Colombo on Monday ahead of the Suryakumar Yadav-led side, which earlier went on a short trip to Pallekele in Central Province.
India and Sri Lanka will play three T20Is in the city, followed by as many ODIs in Colombo. After skipper Rohit Sharma retired from the T20 format, Suryakumar has been handed the leadership role for the three-match series.
Rohit included in squad for ODIs
Rohit will be included in the squad for the ODIs, with Virat Kohli also announcing his retirement from the shortest format of the game.
Ahead of the first match of the series, the BCCI shared a video of India’s first practice session in Pallekele on its official X account. BCCI captioned the post, “Head coach Gautam Gambhir takes charge.
In the video, Gambhir was seen taking a closer look at the players and giving some valuable batting tips to wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson. Before leaving for the island nation, Gambhir addressed his first press conference along with chief selector Ajit Agarkar, who explained the reason behind appointing Suryakumar as the T20 captain in place of allrounder Hardik Pandya.
He is one of the deserving candidates. He is one of the best T20 batsmen in the world. We wanted a captain who plays all the matches. We will see how he performs,” Agarkar told reporters.
As far as Hardik is concerned, he is still a very important player. And that is what we want him to remain so. Fitness has been a challenge for him in the last few years. Then it becomes difficult for the coach or the selectors. I think Surya has the necessary qualities to succeed as a captain.
Team Pallekele’s humid conditions
After arriving in Sri Lanka on Monday (July 22) evening, the visiting team was seen sweating it out in the humid conditions of Pallekele, where they will be staying for the T20I series. Rinku Singh, Suryakumar Yadav, Arshdeep Singh and other players were seen sweating it out in the heat as they prepared for the match on Saturday. In a video posted by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Gambhir can be seen monitoring the players as they take the field.
During their first practice session held at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday, July 23, India’s T20 team went through a rigorous training session. All the players were put through various drills to hone their skills, during which head coach Gambhir was seen speaking to each member of the team.
The T20I series will also mark the beginning of Suryakumar Yadav’s era as captain, who was given a chance in this format ahead of Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah. This will be the first time India will be without both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the T20I format after over a decade. However, they will both return for the ODI series after announcing their retirement from T20Is after winning the World Cup in June.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to play ODI series
The two most shocking moves by the selectors were the inclusion of Riyan Parag in the ODI squad in place of Sanju Samson and the exclusion of Rituraj Gaikwad and Abhishek Sharma from the T20 squad. The chief selector did not reveal the reason behind his decision and just said that it is not easy for him to include all the players in the squad.
Meanwhile, India will play a three-match T20 series with Sri Lanka starting Saturday, July 27 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele. The two teams will next clash in the ODI series starting Friday, August 02.
Gautam Gambhir has taken charge of training the team ahead of the first T20 match against Sri Lanka. The former cricketer aims to sharpen the squad’s skills and strategies, focusing on achieving a strong performance in the upcoming game.
India tour of Sri Lanka 2024
The newly-appointed head coach of the Indian cricket team (ICT) Gautam Gambhir held his first training session on Monday, July 23, as Team India is all set to begin a new era under the 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 ODI World Cup winner. India are scheduled to play 3 ODIs and 3 T20Is against the hosts.
Conclusion
Gambhir’s selection for Saturday’s opener will be interesting, as Shubman Gill has been picked to open alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal, who was not used during the T20 World Cup. Interestingly, despite his promotion to the captain’s role in the T20I format, Suryakumar has not been included in the ODI series starting in the first week of August.
