Setback for India ahead of England series: Newly-appointed Test skipper set to miss this crucial match

As per emerging reports, India's newly appointed red-ball skipper Shubman Gill is all set to miss out on India A's second warm-up game, which is scheduled to take place on June 6 in Northampton. Prior to the start of India's red-ball tour to England, India A will face England Lions for a two-match series, starting on May 30. GT have officially made it to the playoffs and are slated to play their Eliminator match against MI on May 30. Should their road to the final summit end on that day, then it is quite plausible that we could see Gill feature in the second warm-up game. 

But if that were not to happen and GT progressed to the final, which would be played on June 3, embarking on a trip to England in the next two days could prove quite challenging. 

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BCCI's stance on Shubman Gill's participation in the warm-up series

According to a report published by the Indian Express, the Indian think tank has opted to provide Gill some rest prior to the start of the five-match Test series. The report highlighted that Gill may not reach England on time for the second game if his team qualifies for the final, hence the decision to give up some rest.

"India's new Test captain, Shubman Gill, is likely to miss the second warm-up game at Northampton, which will be played on June 6. Gill is currently leading the Gujarat Titans for the IPL, which has qualified for the qualifiers. The final is scheduled on June 3, and if his team qualifies, it could be a scramble to reach England in two days' time. So the team management has decided to give him some rest before the 46-day tour starts."

India will have a new leader in place for the upcoming five-match Test series in England. They will be without the services of two of their most experienced campaigners - Rohit Sharma & Virat Kohli, both of whom announced their Test retirement leading up to the series. It will be a huge test for Gill as it will be his first series as a Test captain for Team India. 

His choice to emphasize strategic preparation rather than conventional practice reflects a deliberate strategy regarding the massive responsibility he now holds. The cricketing community will be observing intently to see how this preparation strategy translates to performance when India competes at Headingley on June 20.