Beckenham [UK]: Ahead of India’s much-anticipated five-Test series against England, head coach Gautam Gambhir delivered an inspiring huddle talk, lauding batter Karun Nair for his remarkable return to the Test squad after eight years. The upcoming England tour marks the beginning of India’s ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle and a new era under the leadership of newly-appointed Test skipper Shubman Gill.
In a video shared by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Gambhir hailed Nair’s resilience, saying, “Comebacks are never easy. Someone who has made a comeback after seven years had a phenomenal last year. It is not just about the runs but the never-die, never-give-up attitude that has got you back into the team. This is inspiring for the entire world. Welcome, Karun.”
Nair forced his way back into the Test setup following an extraordinary domestic season. In the Ranji Trophy 2024-25, the Vidarbha batter amassed 863 runs at an average of 53.93, featuring four centuries and two fifties. His top score of 135 came in the final, leading Vidarbha to title glory. In India A’s warm-up unofficial Tests against England Lions, Nair impressed further with 259 runs, including a double century.
His success extended to white-ball formats as well. In the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25, Nair topped the run charts with 779 runs at a staggering average of 389.50 and a strike rate of 124.04, smashing five hundreds. He also excelled in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20s, scoring 255 runs at a strike rate of 177.08.
Gambhir also welcomed IPL 2025 Orange Cap winner Sai Sudharsan and white-ball pace sensation Arshdeep Singh into the red-ball fold. “We will make sure you have a very successful red-ball career as well,” Gambhir told Sudharsan, who made 759 runs in the IPL 2025 for Gujarat Titans.
On Arshdeep, Gambhir remarked, “I am sure with the red ball in your hand, you are going to make it count,” acknowledging the left-armer’s dominance in T20Is where he has claimed 99 wickets.
Addressing the squad on the absence of stalwarts like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravichandran Ashwin—who have retired from Tests and international cricket—Gambhir motivated the players to view the England tour as a chance to carve their own legacy.
“When I look around, I see hunger, passion, and the commitment to do something special. If we make sacrifices and come out of our comfort zone, we can create an unbelievable team. Enjoy playing for the country because there is no bigger honour,” Gambhir concluded.
Skipper Shubman Gill echoed Gambhir’s message, urging teammates to practice with purpose: “Let us find out our game, and play every ball with purpose, be it in nets or practice matches. Preparation is the key when pressure comes,” Gill said.
The five-Test series will be played from June to August 2025 across Leeds, Birmingham, London (Lord’s and The Oval), and Manchester.
India’s Test squad vs England:
Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (vc), 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, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.