Shubman Gill will have the opportunity to prepare for the Test series by participating in an intra-squad warm-up match beginning on June 13, even if he doesn’t play for the India A team.
Shubman Gill Rested from India A Duty Ahead of England Test Series
India’s newly-appointed Test captain Shubman Gill is set to skip the India A warm-up match against England Lions at Northampton on June 6. Initially named in the India A squad along with teammate Sai Sudharsan for the second unofficial Test, Shubman Gill has now been withdrawn by the BCCI due to scheduling concerns and his continued involvement in the IPL playoffs.
Shubman Gill Gujarat Titans side has qualified for the IPL 2025 playoffs, and the BCCI doesn’t want to rush him from the tournament straight into international red-ball duty. The intention behind Gill’s India A selection was to help him acclimatise to English conditions ahead of the five-Test series starting June 20. However, with the physical toll of the IPL and the high-pressure role of captaincy ahead, the selectors — in consultation with head coach Gautam Gambhir — have chosen to give him rest.
Even without the India A match, Shubman Gill will have the chance to get match-ready through an intra-squad warm-up game beginning June 13.
The decision to pull Gill out was reportedly made even before RCB leapfrogged GT into second place on the league table by defeating LSG in the final league match. GT, now placed third, will face Mumbai Indians in the Eliminator on May 30. If they win, they’ll proceed to Qualifier 2 on June 1 in Ahmedabad against the loser of RCB vs PBKS. With the final scheduled for June 3, the logistics of moving Gill to Northampton just days later made little sense.
It remains to be seen whether Sai Sudharsan, another GT player and part of the original India A selection, will also be given a break.
Meanwhile, assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate has been asked to travel to England to support the India A side, led by Abhimanyu Easwaran. With nine members of the India A squad also named in India’s main Test squad, this preparatory phase is crucial. Former India batsman Hrishikesh Kanitkar is also involved in overseeing the A-team setup, aiming to help players adjust to conditions ahead of the first Test in Leeds on June 20.
T Dlip back as India’s fielding coach
In a significant development, T Dilip has been reinstated as India’s fielding coach for the upcoming five-Test series in England, just a month after being removed from the role. The BCCI has handed him a fresh one-year contract, extending his tenure with the national team.
Dilip, a respected figure at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru, has played a key role in grooming current Indian stars like Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal. He entered the national setup during the 2021 T20 World Cup and was part of Rahul Dravid’s support staff. Mentored by former Deccan Chargers fielding coach Mike Young, Dilip quickly built a reputation for raising India’s fielding standards across formats.
While most of Dravid’s support staff were relieved of their duties after the 2024 T20 World Cup, Dilip was the only member to receive an extension—originally until March 2025. With his reappointment now confirmed, he will once again oversee India’s fielding unit as they prepare for the crucial Test assignment in England starting June 20.
