(Source X)
Gautam Gambhir commenced his stint as the newly-appointed head coach with the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka, which includes 3 T20Is and as many ODIs. The team landed in Sri Lanka on Monday, and their first practice session under Gambhir’s supervision took place on Tuesday at Pallekele.
A video capturing the team’s arrival and training session was posted on Sony Sports Network’s social media handles. Gambhir was prominently featured, leading the team with keen interest. Viewers also noted his fondness for the Kolkata Knight Riders, as he sported a bag adorned with the KKR logo along with his name.
Meanwhile, the team bus also saw the arrival of notable players such as Hardik Pandya, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Washington Sundar, Khaleel Ahmed, vice-captain Shubman Gill, and various members of the coaching staff.
On the same day, they arrived in Pallekele after a brief stopover in Colombo. India is set to compete in a three-match T20I series against the host team, who are yet to finalize their squad. The Suryakumar-led side will kick off the series with the first T20I on July 27, followed by matches on July 28 and 30.
Following this series, the team will head to Colombo for three One-day Internationals scheduled for August 2, 4, and 7.
This youthful squad, guided by vice-captain Shubman Gill, notably excludes veterans Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja, who retired from T20Is after India’s T20 World Cup victory in the Caribbean.
Suryakumar was recently appointed as the new T20 captain ahead of all-rounder Hardik Pandya, owing to his fitness levels and positive feedback from the team’s inner circle.
The team boasts a blend of experience with players like Sanju Samson, Hardik Pandya, and fast bowlers Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh, complementing the leadership of Suryakumar and Gill.
