Former coach set to rejoin Indian team for England tour

MUMBAI: Former fielding coach of Indian cricket tT Dilip is set to rejoin the national team setup on a one-year temporary extension, Indian media reported on Wednesday.

According to a report, Dilip's contract had initially been set to expire in May, and indications from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) suggested there would be no renewal.

Along with batting coach Abhishek Nayar and other support staff members, Dilip was reportedly informed by a BCCI official that his services would not be retained. 

However, the narrative took a decisive turn with the intervention of Indian captain Rohit Sharma. 

Despite having announced his retirement from Test cricket, Sharma is understood to have played a crucial role in persuading both the BCCI and Gambhir to retain Dilip.

The Hyderabad-based coach, who previously worked under both Rahul Dravid and Gautam Gambhir, will accompany the squad for the upcoming series against England.

Meanwhile, the India A squad has already landed in England and checked into their team hotel in Kent, except for pacer Akash Deep, who is expected to join within the next two days. 

The first unofficial Test between India A and England Lions is scheduled to take place in Canterbury from May 30 to June 2. The main Indian Test squad will depart from Mumbai on June 6.

It is pertinent to mention that the five-match Test series between England and India is set to begin at Headingley, Leeds on June 20. The remaining matches are scheduled to take place at Edgbaston, Lord's, Old Trafford, and The Oval.

India squad for England Tests:

Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (vice captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akashdeep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.