India head coach Gautam Gambhir has flown back to the United Kingdom to rejoin the Indian team ahead of the first Test, despite his mother, Seema, still in ICU at a New Delhi hospital. The 43-year-old had to rush back to India last Friday on an emergency basis after his mother suffered a cardiac arrest. She was immediately rushed to the hospital.
According toa Hindustan Times report, Gambhir’s mother is out of danger at the moment which is why Gambhir decided to fly back to the United Kingdom on Monday (July 16) to rejoin Shubman Gill and Co.
“Gambhir will leave for the UK today. He will join the team in London and then the entire squad will travel to Headingley on Tuesday,” a source close to the Indian head coach told the newspaper. The first Test between India and England starts on June 20.
The report also added that although Gambhir’s mother is out of danger, the doctors have decided to keep her in the ICU for better monitoring. She had suffered a cardiac arrest on June 11. It also added that Gambhir has already informed the BCCI of his decision to travel back to the UK.
With no Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin in the squad, Gambhir’s presence in the Indian dressing room is extremely important before the start of the series as it will start a new era in Indian Test cricket under newly-appointed captain Gill.
VVS Laxman to oversee India’s prep?
Earlier, it was reported that National Cricket Academy (NCA) chief VVS Laxman would oversee India’s preparations in the absence of Gambhir. The former India opener had missed the closed-door intra-squad match between India and India A in Beckenham that ended on Sunday.
The Shubman Gill-led Indian Test squad is searching for its first series win in England since 2007. Meanwhile, earlier on Monday, reports claimed that Harshit Rana, who was in the India A squad, has been asked to stay back in England and might be drafted into the main squad.
