Just before the much-awaited fourth Test between India and England beginning from 23rd July, two sports worlds collided in a heartwarming moment that fans didn't see coming.
Indian cricket stars, including captain Shubman Gill and opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, visited Manchester United’s training facility, where they met some of the top names in English football, most notably club captain Bruno Fernandes.
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This meeting happened during a sponsor event, where players from both teams exchanged jerseys. The Indian cricketers wore Manchester United's iconic red kit, while the footballers posed in India’s blue.
What did Bruno Fernandes say about meeting the Indian team?
Gill spoke about the interaction in a video shared by the BCCI. He praised Fernandes, saying, "It’s never easy to lead a big club. Talking to him and learning a bit about captaincy was fun."
Gill also mentioned how Fernandes’ style of taking penalties always stood out to him as a football fan growing up.
Fernandes, who recently took over as Man United's captain, was equally excited. He called it a “privilege” to meet India’s cricket stars and said he enjoyed hearing about how cricket works.
MORE: Which Indian batters have scored a Test century at Old Trafford in Manchester?
“Cricket is one of the biggest sports in the world. I find it very difficult as a game, so to meet these top athletes was special,” he shared.
He also talked about the conversation he had with Gill, where both captains discussed leadership and pressure in their respective sports. The friendly chat and jersey exchange quickly became a hit online, with the clip going viral on social media.
India’s preparation for the 4th Test at Manchester
While the team had some fun off the field, India’s Test preparations have taken a few hits. Nitish Kumar Reddy has been ruled out for the rest of the series due to a left knee injury. And it doesn’t end there.
Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh will also miss the fourth Test at Old Trafford, scheduled to start on July 23.
In his place, Anshul Kamboj has been added to the squad. He is a young fast bowler from Haryana. Meanwhile, Akash Deep, who has played a key role so far, is also under injury concern, putting even more pressure on India's already depleted pace department.