Shubman Gill’s absence from the England warm-up match is a big setback for India. This comes just before the important Test series against England starts on June 20. Gill, who is the new Test captain for India, will skip the second warm-up game in Northampton on June 6 to rest and recover.
Here’s the background. India A has two warm-up matches against England Lions, scheduled on May 30 and June 6. However, Shubman Gill has been playing for the Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2025. Since the IPL final might be on June 3, he doesn’t have much time to prepare for the England tour. So, the team management decided he should skip the second warm-up match.
Resting Gill makes sense. He has played a lot in the IPL and now has a big responsibility as India’s Test captain. Taking care of his fitness is important before the tough series ahead. He might still practice with the team, but won’t play the warm-up game.
Some people worry that missing match practice might affect his performance, especially in England’s challenging conditions with seam and bounce. But the team believes giving him time to recover is more important right now.
India is also going through some changes. Veterans like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have hung up their boots in Test cricket. Now, fresh faces like Sai Sudarshan and Karun Nair are stepping into the middle order. The bowling lineup looks solid with Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and a few others gearing up to take on England.
Additionally, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) brought back fielding coach T Dilip to help players get ready physically and mentally for the series.
In the end, even though it’s disappointing that Shubman Gill is not playing the warm-up match, it’s a smart decision. It will help him stay fresh and focused for the upcoming big games.
So, Shubman Gill’s absence from the England warm-up match is a setback, but also a calculated move to ensure he performs well in the important Test series.
