• Home
  • Entertainment
  • Gambhir Seeks Divine Blessings India Coach Visits Tirumala Temple Ahead Of England Tour

Gambhir Seeks Divine Blessings; India Coach Visits Tirumala Temple Ahead Of England Tour

Soumyajit Dutta

Gautam Gambhir [Source: @ANI/X]Gautam Gambhir [Source: @ANI/X]

Fresh off India’s triumphant 2025 Champions Trophy campaign and amidst the IPL's humdrum, head coach Gautam Gambhir recently visited the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh, with his family to offer prayers. 

While the India head coach visits to seek blessings, in another development, he was not named to guide India A on the England tour. In his place, Hrishikesh Kanitkar is reported to mentor the India A squad ahead of the series.

Gambhir Visits Tirumala With Family

Meanwhile, the 43-year-old was seen visiting Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple from a social media clip by ANI accompanied by his wife Natasha Jain and daughters Aazeen and Anaiza. This spiritual stop followed a visit to Mumbai’s Siddhivinayak Temple on May 15, underscoring Gambhir’s personal rituals amid professional milestones.

Significantly, Gambhir’s next challenge begins on June 20, as India faces England in a five-match Test series starting at Leeds. However, the absence of stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who recently retired from Test cricket, poses a significant hurdle. 

The selection committee, led by Gambhir, must now appoint a new Test captain and address critical gaps in the batting lineup. Identifying a dependable opener and a middle-order mainstay to replace the legendary duo will be pivotal for India’s red-ball future.

Gambhir’s Mixed Bag Of Coaching Tenure

Since taking over as head coach on July 9, 2024, succeeding Rahul Dravid, Gautam Gambhir has experienced mixed results across formats. Under his leadership, India has dominated in T20Is with 10 wins in 11 matches, boasting a 90.91% win rate. 

The ODI side has also flourished, winning 8 out of 11 games (72.73%) and securing the 2025 Champions Trophy. However, Gautam Gambhir's Test tenure has been challenging, with India managing only 3 wins in 10 matches, including a 3-0 home series defeat to New Zealand and a 3-1 loss in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia.

While Gambhir’s white-ball success has solidified his reputation, the Test team’s inconsistency remains a concern. The England series offers a chance for redemption, but strategic decisions around leadership and squad composition will define his legacy.