Key Points

The Indian cricket team took a break from their England tour to meet Manchester United players. Skipper Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant tried their hand at football while Mohammed Siraj bowled to Harry Maguire. Coach Gautam Gambhir shared a special moment with United's Ruben Amorim, swapping jerseys. The lighthearted session came ahead of India's must-win Test against England at Old Trafford.

Key Points: Shubman Gill Meets Bruno Fernandes as India Cricket Team Visits Man United

  • Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant sport Man United jerseys during training
  • Mohammed Siraj bowls to Harry Maguire in fun exchange
  • Gautam Gambhir shares jersey swap with Ruben Amorim
  • Kuldeep Yadav engages in tactical chat with Man United coach
2 min read

United in Manchester: Indian cricket team meets Man United footballers

India's cricket stars bond with Man United players in a rare crossover event ahead of crucial England Test match.

"United in Manchester – Indian Cricket Team (Instagram)"

Manchester, July 20

Ahead of their date with destiny against England at the Old Trafford Stadium, the Indian men’s cricket team linked up with the Manchester United football team at their post-match training session here on Sunday. A post by the Indian Cricket team on Instagram, captioned ‘United in Manchester’, showcased both teams in action, indulging in a day of sports with both cricket and football.

India skipper Shubman Gill and his deputy Rishabh Pant were pictured in the Red Devils' shirt taking a penalty, while seamer Mohammed Siraj was captured bowling to defender Harry Maguire.

One of the most iconic photos in the collection was of India head coach Gautam Gambhir hugging Portuguese tactician Ruben Amorim, with the duo having swapped their jerseys. Both team captains also recreated the photo with Bruno Fernandes and Gill having shared a laugh.

One of the biggest football fanatics in the Indian cricket team, Kuldeep Yadav, was also seen listening intently to Amorim in a huddle.

On Sunday, fast bowler Anshul Kamboj was added to India’s Test squad for the ongoing tour of England after left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh sustained a deep cut on his bowling hand during a training session.

The 24-year-old Kamboj, who has 79 wickets in 24 First-Class games for Haryana, was part of the India A side, which played two three-day games last month. He took five wickets in the two games. The ongoing series has seen England take a 2-1 lead over India, making the upcoming clash in Manchester a must-win one for India.

On the other hand, Manchester United and Leeds United played out a goalless draw in their first pre-season outing of Tour 2025 in Sweden on Saturday. With summer additions Matheus Cunha and Diego Leon both impressed on their maiden appearances for the club at the Strawberry Arena in Stockholm.

- IANS

Share this article:

Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Kuldeep Yadav getting football tips from Amorim is so wholesome! 😍 Our boys looked so happy in the Man Utd jerseys. But please BCCI, focus more on the cricket - we need to win this Test series!
R
Rohit P
Great to see our cricketers bonding with football stars, but I'm worried about Arshdeep's injury. Kamboj is talented but inexperienced at this level. Hope the team management has a solid backup plan.
S
Sarah B
As a Manchester resident, it's wonderful to see this cultural exchange! Harry Maguire facing Siraj's bowling must have been quite a sight 😂 Hope both teams take inspiration from each other.
V
Vikram M
While these photos are great for PR, I hope the team isn't distracted from their main mission. England at 2-1 up is dangerous - we need 100% focus on cricket now. Jai Hind!
K
Kavya N
Gambhir and Amorim swapping jerseys is iconic! Two brilliant minds of different sports coming together. Hope our boys learned some tactical insights from the football experts 🤩

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50