India’s Test Batch To Leave For England On This Date

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has not declared its red-ball squad yet for the upcoming five-match series in England, but they have finalized the schedule for the departure of the players and the support staff.

However, the focus of the coaches is certainly shifted to the national trip. India-A will feature in three games before the series, the last of which will be against the top-class players as preparation.

India’s first Test match will leave on June 06 with Gautam Gambhir

The reports have claimed that the national side’s head coach, Gautam Gambhir, and the first batch of red-ball players will leave for the touring country on June 05. Meanwhile, the other batches will participate in different sections, depending on the commitments of the players in IPL 2025.

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“The players who get free from the IPL during the league stage are likely to leave with coach Gambhir on June 6. However, the rest will leave after a short break post the IPL 2025 commitments.” The BCCI official has expressed.

Reports have also addressed that Gambhir will start to put their attention on the England series, which will be the first one to begin the fourth cycle of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27. They will be eager to start on a good note, having failed to qualify for the third consecutive final due to the successive series defeats against Australia and New Zealand at home and away.

India’s support staff to link directly with England

Most of the support staff of the Blue Brigade are not in India at the moment, and that could push them to link up the squad directly in England. But the final word will be communicated with the players and the support staff, just moments after the red-ball squad is announced.

TOI reports explained that on May 05, the first India-A squad will leave for the touring country in batches starting from May 25. Most players will be busy with various franchises in the IPL.

This has happened because the league was pushed by a week after the cross-border tension with a neighbor, Pakistan. The IPL players, who are not in the league or the playoffs, will take the flight with the first batch, while the others will link up with the squad later.

BCCI planned to declare the squad earlier this week, but the new schedule has forced the men’s senior selection committee to alter the plans.

The reports have also addressed that Gautam Gambhir will decide on team selection for short-term goals, just after the retirement of both the senior pillars, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. With no experienced player on the side, there is hardly anyone who could influence the red-ball side.

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In Australia, the touring side made a solid start with the 295-run victory at the Optus Stadium in Perth before they lost three of the next four encounters to end up on the losing side by a 3-1 margin.

India seeks experience in Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s absence

In the absence of Rohit Sharma, the board will need to find a new captain, who is likely to be Shubman Gill. Under his wings, it will be a massive challenge to counter England’s pacers.

There won’t be a massive issue in the bowling department, with Mohammed Shami expected to return to the format after two years to partner Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj.