With less than 10 days to go before India take on England in a much-anticipated five-match Test series, Shubman Gill and Co. have begun their red-ball preparation in earnest.
The squad assembled in London last week is training rigorously in the practice sessions.
Meanwhile, the preparations have shifted to Beckenham, where an intra‑squad match between India vs India A is scheduled from June 13. This fixture will take place at the Kent Cricket Ground and is India’s sole official warm‑up before the series opener in Leeds on June 20.
Also read: ENG vs IND - [WATCH] India Hit the Ground Running in England as Shubman Gill Takes Charge
Gautam Gambhir Wants Competitive Surface in Beckenham for India’s Warm-Up Match
With no official warm-up match scheduled against a county side, the team management, led by head coach Gautam Gambhir, has opted for an internal match simulation. The aim is to replicate Test‑match conditions similar to how the other pitches will behave on the tour.
According to the curator at the Kent County Cricket Ground in Beckenham, Josh Marden, India’s support staff, led by Gambhir and bowling coach Morne Morkel, held an internal meeting before reaching out with specific demands for the pitch preparation.
The intent was to create a surface that offers a genuine challenge for both batters and bowlers, unlike typical net surfaces or overly flat practice tracks.
"Yes, the coaching staff, including Gautam Gambhir and others, spoke to us after their internal meeting. Their message was clear: "We want a good pitch." Not something too flat or too green, but something that will genuinely help with match preparation. They wanted more realistic conditions, not just batting drills. So we adjusted a few things, grass cover, net width, and length extensions. The feedback has been great since then," Marden said as quoted to Revsportz.
He went on to clarify that despite the visual appearance of the pitch being dry, the underlying composition still offers assistance to seamers.
Marden added that while the pitch may look dry on the surface, there is still enough in it to keep the fast-bowlers interested.
"Yes, and no. The soil here naturally plays batter-friendly, so visually, the wicket may look dry or flat. But we manage grass density, not just what you see, but how thick it is. The pitches currently used by India and Australia have slightly more grass than our usual white-ball surfaces. It's a subtle balance. Even with a brown surface, there's enough life in it for seamers, if you hit the right length," he shared.
As India have already faced a massive disappointment in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 under Gambhir's coaching, the team this time seems determined to hit the ground running rather than easing into the tour.
Changing of the Guard for India in England
The upcoming England tour marks a new chapter for Indian cricket in more ways than one. The team will be without the services of senior pros Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who have retired from Test cricket.
For Gambhir, this is his first stint as head coach in England. It is also a milestone for Gill, who will be leading the Test side for the first time.
Also read: ENG vs IND - “Should Have Been In” - Sourav Ganguly Unhappy With Shreyas Iyer’s Exclusion
