KL Rahul's Sleep Priority, Coach's Rituals, and India's Coffee Fix: Behind the Scenes of England Tour

Birmingham, England: After departing Leeds on June 25th, the Indian cricket team arrived in Birmingham via bus, embarking on a roughly three-hour journey for the next leg of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.

Many players brought their own pillows for the ride, but KL Rahul went a step further, stowing a foldable mattress in the luggage compartment.

Sources indicate that Rahul prefers the consistency of his own mattress for optimal sleep. This isn't necessarily due to health concerns, but rather a preference to avoid the varying firmness of hotel beds.

The team's arrival in Birmingham was met with sunshine. Jasprit Bumrah immediately headed to a nearby grocery store for essential items. Other team members settled into their accommodations at a luxury hotel.

Head coach Gautam Gambhir and batting coach Sitanshu Kotak have been observed taking evening strolls together, a tradition that continued in Birmingham.

With time before the second Test, players are taking advantage of the rest period.

The Ubiquitous Coffee Runs

The coffee culture, which began in Leeds, is expected to continue throughout the tour, extending to Birmingham, London, and Manchester before culminating at The Oval. Before the series opener at Headingley, players frequently ventured out for coffee and meals.

Senior players have made it a point to spend time with younger members of the squad when not training or playing. Before boarding the bus to Birmingham, players like Kuldeep Yadav, Karun Nair, Dhruv Jurel, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and fielding coach T Dilip made sure to get their caffeine fix.