India vs England: Gautam Gambhir drops massive playing XI hint, backs experienced batter in English conditions | Cricket News

Indian cricket test team captain Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir (AP Photo)

NEW DELHI: India head coach Gautam Gambhir has dropped a significant hint about the playing XI for the upcoming England Test series, voicing strong support for experienced batter Karun Nair. “When someone has scored heaps of runs, we won’t judge them by 1-2 tests. If someone has scored heaps of runs, we have to give him opportunities,” Gambhir said during a press conference attended by the head coach and Team India’s test skipper Shubman Gill on Thursday. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“Karun Nair’s experience and form will come in handy in England.”Nair’s Test journey has been a rollercoaster. After a dazzling 303 not out against England in 2016, he found himself out of favour within months. A disappointing series against Australia and being benched during the 2018 England tour stalled his rise. But Nair never gave up.His comeback was forged through persistence. A prolific 2023 stint in county cricket, followed by a dominant 2024-25 domestic season, including 863 Ranji Trophy runs, showcased a batter reborn.

His recent double century for India A against England Lions further strengthened his claim.Mentally stronger, technically refined, and hungry for redemption, Nair has done more than just knock; he’s broken the door down. With Gambhir now backing him publicly, a place in the playing XI at Headingley on June 20 looks increasingly likely.India Squad: Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant (VC & WK), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep YadavEngland Squad: Ben Stokes (C), Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue, Chris WoakesTest Series Schedule: