Gambhir to miss tour game in Canberra for personal reasons

NewsESPNcricinfo has learnt that India’s head coach will be back with the team before the Adelaide Test on December 6

India will be without head coach Gautam Gambhir when they take on the Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra in a two-day tour game starting on November 30. Gambhir has left the team to be in India for personal reasons. A BCCI source confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that Gambhir will be back with the team before the next Test, which will be a day-night match in Adelaide starting on December 6. The tour game in Canberra will be a day match but will be played with the pink Kookaburra ball.

India lead the series 1-0 after they made a stunning comeback from being whitewashed 3-0 at home by New Zealand. Assistant coaches Abhishek Nayar, Ryan ten Doeschate and Morne Morkel will collectively be in charge in Gambhir’s absence.

Just as Gambhir left, India were bolstered by the return of the full-time captain, Rohit Sharma, who had been on paternity leave during the first Test. Rohit’s return into the XI could lead to a tricky question around the combination as in his absence, KL Rahul made a successful return to the top of the order in difficult conditions.

If Shubman Gill, who missed the Perth Test with a fractured thumb, also makes it back to full fitness, India will have to free up two places in the batting line-up. There is no update yet on Gill’s recovery as there is time to go to the next match. He will likely miss the tour game with assessments becoming more regular as the training days and the Adelaide Test approach.