Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan to skip second unofficial Test for India A vs England Lions

Ahmedabad: India’s new Test captain Shubman Gill and his Gujarat Titans opening partner Sai Sudharsan will miss the second India A match against the England Lions at Northampton from June 6—a fixture they were initially slated to play—as they will only depart with the Indian team on that date, TOI has learnt.

Meanwhile, senior opener KL Rahul is set to play in that fixture to gain match practice. Rahul, who requested the BCCI to advance his departure, will leave for England on Monday.

Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel.

Sudharsan has been in red-hot form in IPL 2025, currently holding the Orange Cap with 759 runs in 15 matches at an average of 54.21, including six fifties and a century. Gill has also enjoyed a solid season, scoring 650 runs at an average of 50.00 with six fifties. Gujarat Titans, captained by Gill, exited the IPL after losing to Mumbai Indians in the Eliminator at Mullanpur on Friday night.

Gill is expected to address a pre-departure press conference in Mumbai along with India head coach Gautam Gambhir.


“Both Sai and Gill have been training with the red ball over the last few days. After a long tournament, they need some rest and recovery,” a source told TOI.

Gill, Sai, and the rest of the Indian squad will now only get match practice during a fourday intra-squad game at Beckenham from June 13–16 ahead of the first Test, which begins at Headingley, Leeds on June 20. Rahul opted to play the India A match in England, preferring competitive match time over training in rain-hit Mumbai, where he now primarily resides.

UPCA’s Yudhvir Singh to be manager for England tourIn other developments, veteran administrator Yudhvir Singh from the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association has been appointed as the Indian team’s manager for the England tour.