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A new report claims Gautam Gambhir could rejoin the Indian team TODAY as his mother’s health has improved. VVS Laxman, meanwhile, has no ‘official’ role with the team.
India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir could rejoin the team today. (Picture Credit: AP)
Gautam Gambhir’s mother’s health has improved in the last few hours and he is now reportedly certain to rejoin the India Test team before the first match of the Tendulkar-Anderson Trophy at Headingley on June 20. Multiple reports have confirmed that the head coach would join on Tuesday (June 17).
According to Cricbuzz, the BCCI Centre of Excellence chief VVS Laxman, who has been seen with the team and is said to be ‘working’ on their preparations in Gambhir’s absence, has ‘no official role’ and will leave soon.
The report said Laxman was on a trip to Switzerland to attend a conference and detoured to England to meet the team — which was always part of his plan. The former India batter is said to have travelled from London to Lausanne and overseen the intra-squad game behind closed doors, the final preparatory game for the Test series. His work will be limited to discussions and experience sharing before he leaves in ‘a day or two’.
“The target is to win in England, and he may have spoken to the coaches and selectors present here, and perhaps even attended the intra-squad game. But he holds no official role with this team,” the report cited an unnamed source as saying.
“He went to Switzerland and simply stopped by in London to spend time with the boys. It was always part of his plan,” another source added.
Meanwhile, the report said, Gambhir was returning despite his mother still being in the hospital.
“He will definitely rejoin the team before the first Test. He has consulted the doctors about his mother’s condition, which has improved, although she continues to be in the ICU. But he will plan his return soon,” said a source close to Gambhir in the report.
One of India’s best Test batters, the team could learn a lot from Laxman. The wristy middle-order batter played 11 Tests in England, scoring 586 runs at an average of 34.47, with no centuries by five fifties. He also played 23 other First-Class matches here across county cricket and India ‘A’ games.
In Gambhir’s absence, assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate oversaw the intra-squad game with help from batting coach Shitanshu Kotak and bowling coach Morne Morkel.
A team of reporters, writers and editors brings you news, analyses, features, live scores, results, stats and everything that’s cricket from all over the globe. Follow @cricketnext
A team of reporters, writers and editors brings you news, analyses, features, live scores, results, stats and everything that’s cricket from all over the globe. Follow @cricketnext
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