In a rare and heartwarming crossover between two sporting giants, Team India and Manchester United came together ahead of the fourth Test at Old Trafford. As the Indian team gears up to face England, they made time for a memorable meet-up with United stars at the iconic club's training base, Carrington.
The occasion saw players from both camps engage in a fun exchange of jerseys and skills, with footballs and cricket bats both in action. Among the standout moments, Harry Maguire tried his hand at cricket against Mohammed Siraj, while Rishabh Pant coolly took a penalty.
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The informal session took place as Manchester United players returned to the base for pre-season training, just as India arrived in Manchester for the crucial red-ball fixture. The timing proved perfect for this collaboration; both teams are sponsored by the leading sportswear brand Adidas, leading to the crossover. The BCCI posted a number of pictures from the collab as the two sporting giants met.
Earlier, India's preparations for the fourth Test at Old Trafford took a bruising hit with injuries to key seamers, Akash Deep and Arshdeep Singh. While Akash is managing a groin niggle that surfaced during the Lord’s Test, Arshdeep hurt his bowling hand during a training session in Beckenham and walked off clutching it in discomfort.
{{/usCountry}}Earlier, India's preparations for the fourth Test at Old Trafford took a bruising hit with injuries to key seamers, Akash Deep and Arshdeep Singh. While Akash is managing a groin niggle that surfaced during the Lord’s Test, Arshdeep hurt his bowling hand during a training session in Beckenham and walked off clutching it in discomfort.
{{/usCountry}}Both are now doubtful for the Manchester clash, prompting the selectors to draft in Haryana pacer Anshul Kamboj as cover for the final two Tests of the series. He was part of the India A squad earlier this summer and impressed in the second unofficial Test in Northampton, claiming four wickets, including two in one over. Not just with the ball, Kamboj also showed his grit with the bat, stitching an unbeaten 149-run partnership with Tanush Kotian in the same match.
The setbacks have left India’s bowling combination in flux, with Jasprit Bumrah’s availability and Mohammed Siraj’s workload needing careful management.
Into this backdrop, the crossover with Manchester United saw the team finding a lighter moment to breathe.