On Sunday, July 20, the Indian cricket squad met Manchester United football players at Carrington, the team’s training facility, ahead of the fourth Test match against England at Old Trafford. Both groups of athletes exchanged jerseys and practiced football and cricket during the event.
Adidas, the company that sponsors both teams’ uniforms, was instrumental in setting up the session. Both teams’ players engaged in a variety of activities. Rishabh Pant attempted a penalty kick, and Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj was spotted bowling at United defender Harry Maguire.
Siraj laughed with Amad Diallo, Jasprit Bumrah was seen talking to Mason Mount, while Indian captain Shubman Gill posed with Bruno Fernandes.
Kuldeep Yadav, an Indian spinner and ardent football club supporter, was spotted having a lengthy conversation with Amorim. Both teams switched jerseys, with Gill wearing United’s recognisable red shirt and Bruno wearing the Indian Test jersey. Additionally, the teams took group shots with the caption, “United in Manchester.”
United in Manchester.🤝 #TeamIndia | @adidas | @ManUtd pic.twitter.com/zGrIqrcHKG
— BCCI (@BCCI) July 20, 2025
As a cover, Anshul Kamboj joins
It was observed that coaches Ruben Amorim and Gautam Gambhir were having a conversation. Both teams are currently going through changes. United is trying to recover from a dismal Premier League season in which they finished in 15th place, while India is rebuilding its Test lineup following recent overseas defeats and Test mainstays.
“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 manufacturer stated in a news release.
The tourists are behind 1-2 in the five-match series against England going into the fourth Test. England won in Leeds and London, but they also won the second Test in Edgbaston. India needs to win the Manchester Test, which starts on July 23, in order to advance in the series with two games remaining. The management has added pacer Anshul Kamboj as cover due to injury worries with bowlers Arshdeep Singh and Akash Deep. Kamboj was spotted with the team when they were playing football.