With a youthful squad and new leadership, Team India blends banter with intensity in preparations for the first Test at Headingley.
New Delhi: June 19, 2025
In a light-hearted moment during India’s practice session ahead of the England Test series, wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant added some humour to the field. While participating in a catching drill, Pant playfully accused fielding coach T Dilip of favouring left-handers. “He’s a left-hander, so you’ll only place him on the left side,” Pant joked, drawing laughter from his teammates and setting a relaxed tone for the session.
While the environment could be chummy, the training was serious and competitive. The players took part in some lighthearted, intensity-filled fielding activities before entering the serious business of a competitive net session. Jasprit Bumrah was back to his normal self, testing the batters with his normal speed and skill of seam movement manipulation. The camp youthful, relaxed atmosphere was also heightened by the absence of senior pros Virat and Rohit. Under Captain Shubman Gill, the whole group appeared to have been acclimatized into a new culture of serious training and fun. Gill looked quite relaxed facing Bumrah’s hostile volleys at 90 mph, and clearly led from the front.
Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal also spent considerable time in the nets, although they found it tough going against the pace battery. Karun Nair was given a fright when Prasidh Krishna struck him on the stomach, but he was back in practice shortly after.
The team management has also confirmed that Shubman Gill will bat at No. 4 and Pant at no 5 for the first Test at Headingley, which begins on Friday. As India embarks on a five-match series, the tone set in training signals a confident, balanced approach under a refreshed leadership setup.
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