Manchester, July 20 (IANS) 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

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