Gautam Gambhir Flies Back to India as Mother Battles Heart Attack
India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir flew back to Delhi on after his mother Seema Gambhir suffered a heart attack and was admitted to an ICU, sources confirmed. Gambhir left Kent ahead of the intra‑squad match and will likely rejoin the team before the England Test series begins in Leeds on June 20.
Gambhir skipped Thursday’s India vs India A practice game in Beckenham and headed home immediately after receiving the news. Cricketing authorities praised his prompt response, emphasizing that family health comes first.
In Gambhir’s absence, batting coach Sitangshu Kotak and bowling coach Morne Morkel will oversee Thursday’s match, providing guidance to players and preparing them for the five‑Test series. The intra-squad fixture, played behind closed doors, mimics real-match conditions—indicating Gambhir’s strategic approach to team readiness.
This tour marks Gambhir’s first overseas assignment as head coach. Under his guidance, Team India is undergoing a significant transformation, led by new captain Shubman Gill. The squad is preparing to reclaim a Test series win in England—their first since 2007 under former captain Rahul Dravid.
Gambhir’s careful preparation was already apparent: he’d organised a four-day closed‑door intra‑squad game to test English conditions and shield tactics—mirroring practices in European football. His absence will be keenly felt, as the series carries crucial importance following India’s 1–3 Test loss to Australia in the previous assignment.
Analytics point to a key matchup: selecting between Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav as the lone spinner for Headingley. The match also provides a platform for bowlers like Akash Deep and Prasidh Krishna to adapt to English pitches, and for Jasprit Bumrah to regain red-ball rhythm after a six-month layoff. Gambhir’s return before the series start is expected, once his mother’s condition stabilises.
