The newly-appointed head coach Gautam Gambhir officially took charge of the Indian Cricket Team as the players gathered at the Pallekele International Stadium in Pallekele on Tuesday, July 23, for their first training session ahead of the limited-overs series against Sri Lanka.

The Suryakumar Yadav-led Indian cricket team arrived in Sri Lanka on Monday, July 22, for the upcoming three-match T20I series, which will be followed by three ODIs. Ahead of India's first T20I against Sri Lanka on July 27, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) shared a video of the team's first practice session on their official X account.

Hardik Pandya was the central figure during India's first training session under Gambhir in Pallekele. Gambhir and Pandya were seen sitting side-by-side in India's team bus after their first practice session in Sri Lanka, which is now the talk of the town.

Indian cricketers had a nearly three-hour training session, where most of them charged themselves in the nets. India's first training session under the new head coach was focused on running, catching, and individual interactions ahead of the Sri Lanka series.

India's new captain, Suryakumar, engaged with the Indian players, while Gambhir was seen offering batting tips to Sanju Samson and talking with all-rounder Shivam Dube. Gambhir also had a lengthy discussion with Pandya on the sidelines of the team's training session in Pallekele.

Meanwhile, Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal, who are expected to open the batting for India as Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retired from the T20I cricket, had an extended hitting session in the nets.

They have faced Pandya at the nets while the star all-rounder practiced match simulations with new assistant coach Abhishek Nayar ahead of the first T20I on July 27 in Pallekele. After India's first training session in Pallekele, the players one by one boarded the team bus.