Gautam Gambhir set to miss out on Canberra tour game due to personal reasons

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 06:21:48 GMT

India head coach Gautam Gambhir has departed for India and will not be present with the Indian team when it takes on Prime Minister's XI in Canberra in a two-day tour game on November 30. Gambhir is expected to be away due to personal reasons.

However, more recently, a BCCI spokesperson revealed that the 43-year-old is expected to be back well in time before the start of the second Test in Adelaide which will be a D/N Test match. The Canberra tour game will be played during the day but with a pink ball in a bid to acclimatize to conditions presented in a day/night Test.

Who will take charge in Gambhir's absence?

While Gambhir is away for personal reasons, assistant coaches Abhishek Nayar, Ryan ten Doeschate, and Morne Morkel will collectively be in charge of the Indian squad.

India managed to make a stunning comeback after a humiliating series whitewash at home by thumping Australia by a mammoth 295 runs in the Pert Test. The mood in the camp is certainly positive after that win and with the inclusion of Rohit Sharma, India's lineup is only going to be strengthened a lot further.

What will happen to the team composition if Gill becomes fit?

Gill was excluded from the first Test due to a fractured thumb. With a little under 10 days to go for the second Test, Gill still has ample time to recover from his injury.

Should he become fit for the Adelaide Test, India will then have to free up two spaces in the batting lineup in order to accommodate him. There is no major update on Gill's fitness at the moment but the 25-year-old is highly unlikely to feature in the upcoming two-day tour game in Canberra.