Gautam Gambhir Visits Siddhivinayak Temple Ahead of Selection Meeting
On Thursday, May 15, Indian cricket coach Gautam Gambhir visited the renowned Siddhivinayak temple in Mumbai. Accompanied by his wife, Gambhir offered prayers to Lord Ganesha, seeking blessings as he prepares for a crucial selection meeting regarding the upcoming tour to England.
The Indian team is gearing up for a series of five Test matches set to begin on June 20. In a significant shift for the team, Gambhir will lead a younger squad without the experienced duo of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, both of whom have recently retired from Test cricket.
In a video shared online, Gambhir and his wife can be seen participating in the temple rituals, emphasizing the importance of his visit.
A Meeting with Selectors Ahead
Later that day, Gambhir was scheduled to meet with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selectors. This meeting is vital as they discuss the future of Test cricket in India, starting with the England tour. The selectors are expected to decide the new Test captain and finalize the squad for the series.
Reports indicate that Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant are leading candidates for the captaincy, especially after Jasprit Bumrah withdrew himself from consideration. Gill is seen as a strong contender for the captaincy, with Pant likely to take on the vice-captain role due to his impressive performance in foreign conditions.
The series against England will kick off at Headingley and will also mark the start of the new World Test Championship cycle for the Indian team.