IND vs ENG: THIS India legend to oversee team's preparations in England until head coach Gautam Gambhir rejoins squad

Indian cricket legend VVS Laxman will be in charge of preparations for the upcoming Test series against England in the absence of head coach Gautam Gambhir, as reported by RevSportz. Gambhir departed for England just before the Test series to care for his ailing mother. The report indicated that Laxman, who leads the National Cricket Academy (NCA), is already in London ahead of the U-19 team's tour of the United Kingdom. The iconic batsman will oversee the preparations until Gambhir returns to the team. Previously, Laxman had coached the Indian cricket team during a T20I series against South Africa. However, the report did not specify when Gambhir would return to England.

The first Test of the five-match series between India and England is set to occur at Headingley in Leeds from June 20 to 24.

In Gambhir’s absence, the former Indian great also led a second-string Indian team in a T20 series in South Africa late last year and served as India’s head coach for the five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe in July 2024, where Shubman Gill captained Team India for the first time in his career.

On Friday, India head coach Gautam Gambhir returned to the country after his mother, Seema Gambhir, was hospitalized due to a health emergency, according to a BCCI source who spoke to PTI.

The source revealed that Gambhir had to return to attend to his mother, who experienced a heart attack and is currently in the ICU of a New Delhi hospital.

“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.

India has begun a new chapter after batting legends Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli announced their retirement from the Test format more than a month prior to the five-match series starting at Headingley on June 20.

Shubman Gill has been named Rohit's successor and appointed as the Test captain, with Rishabh Pant as his deputy. In addition to the two batting stalwarts, India will be without skilled off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who retired during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, and experienced pacer Mohammed Shami, who was not considered fit for the series.

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