On Sunday, July 20, the Indian cricket squad met Manchester United football players at Carrington, the team’s training facility, in preparation for the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford. The event featured cricket and football drills, as well as jersey exchanges between the two teams.
Adidas, both teams’ clothing sponsors, played an important part in organising the training. Players from both teams took part in mixed exercises, with Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj seen bowling to United defender Harry Maguire and Rishabh Pant taking penalty kicks.
Shubman Gill, the Indian captain, posed with Bruno Fernandes, while Jasprit Bumrah chatted with Mason Mount and Siraj laughed with Amad Diallo.
Indian spinner Kuldeep Yadav, a passionate admirer of the football club, was seen interacting with Amorim. Both teams swapped jerseys, with Bruno sporting the Indian Test jersey and Gill wearing United’s famed red shirt. The teams also took group shots, captioned “United in Manchester.”
United in Manchester.🤝 #TeamIndia | @adidas | @ManUtd pic.twitter.com/zGrIqrcHKG
— BCCI (@BCCI) July 20, 2025
Anshul Kamboj joins as cover
Coaches Gautam Gambhir and Ruben Amorim were seen in a discussion. Both teams are currently undergoing transitions, with India rebuilding its Test side after recent overseas losses and Test stalwarts, and United are looking to bounce back after a disappointing Premier League season where they finished 15th.
“This activation marks a significant moment in sports, reinforcing adidas’ reputation as a brand that not only equips athletes with premium gear but also brings teams across different sports together,” the sportswear company said in a press release.
Heading into the fourth Test, the visitors are trailing 1-2 in the five-match series against England. While they won the second Test in Edgbaston, England claimed victories in Leeds and London. With two matches left, the Manchester Test, beginning July 23, is a must-win for India to stay alive in the series. Amidst injury concerns to bowlers like Arshdeep Singh and Akash Deep, the management has added pacer Anshul Kamboj as cover, who was seen with the team during their time with the football players
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