Two global sporting powerhouses came together as Manchester United welcomed India’s national cricket team to Carrington, blending the worlds of football and cricket in a rare and memorable crossover.

India, in town for their Test series against England, made a stop at United’s training ground to spend time with the Premier League club’s players and staff. The meeting was captured in a series of vibrant photos and videos posted by the BCCI and adidas, labelled with the fitting caption: “United in Manchester.”

The visit kicked off with a warm welcome from senior United officials and club legends, followed by a symbolic jersey swap – with both squads donning personalised versions of each other’s shirts.

From there, the event flowed into a mix of friendly football and cricket challenges, shared laughs, and insightful conversations between athletes at the top of their games.

India captain Shubman Gill took time to speak with Bruno Fernandes about leadership and mental preparation across disciplines.

“It’s very exciting to be able to meet top athletes in the world from another sport,” Gill said. “To get to know their stories is very inspiring. You’re playing two different sports, but the mindset you play with is, most of the time, very similar.”

Meanwhile, India head coach Gautam Gambhir met with United boss Ruben Amorim to discuss coaching philosophies and building team culture.

“It was a nice interaction – what his ideology is towards team sport and what my ideology is towards team sport,” Gambhir reflected.

After a dismal 2024/25 season, perhaps United will be using some of that shared wisdom heading into the new campaign.