India head coach Gautam Gambhir, who flew back home due to a family medical emergency, is set to link up with the team in England on June 17. The first test of the five-match test series will start on June 20.

Gambhir returned home on June 12 as his mother suffered a heart attack on June 11. She was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a Delhi hospital where she received treatment.

While head coach Gautam Gambhir was away, India’s assistant coaches Sitanshu Kotak, Ryan ten Doeschate and Morne Morkel took charge of the team for a four-day intra-squad game against India A in Beckenham.

Gautam Gambhir has only a couple of days in his hands to make final preparations ahead of the test series in India’s tour of England 2025.

The Indian team management was grappling with several selection dilemmas following the retirement of stalwarts such as Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravinchandran Ashwin.

Meanwhile, the performance of the players in the intra-squad game is likely to play a key role in the selection for the first test.

Accorind to reports, KL Rahul, and Shubman Gill smashed fifties on day one of the game before Sarfaraz Khan scored a century off just 76 balls for India A.

On day 03, Shardul Thakur went on to smash 122 runs before the team management decided to call of the game.

The series will be crucial for India as the side faced severe criticism last season after India suffered defeat in series against New Zealand and Australia.

It costed a place in World Test Championship finals. Following the horror show, there were also calls from several quarters to sack Gautam Gambhir as the test coach.

The series will also mark the beginning of a new journey for the Indian team. India hasn’t won a test series in England since 2007 and will be eyeing on a series win.

The first match of the test series will be played between June 20 and 24 at Headingley Cricket Ground. The rest of the four matches will be played on Manchester, Lord’s Cricket Ground, Edgbaston, and The Oval.