Visakhapatnam, Jan 28 (IANS) Indian cricket team players visited the historic Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha temple in Simhachalam ahead of the fourth match of the ongoing T20I series against New Zealand, which will be played at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.

In a video shared by the Andhra Pradesh Cricket Association on Instagram, team India coach Gautam Gambhir, along with captain Suryakumar Yadav and other players, were seen wearing a saffron shawl wrapped around their necks as they offered prayers at the iconic devotional place.

“Starting on a divine note. A morning filled with gratitude and prayer as we prepare to give our best on the field,” the cricket association wrote in the caption of the video.

Indian star players Virat Kohli and Washington Sundar had also offered prayers at Simhachalam in December last year, when the team defeated South Africa in the third ODI match played at Vizag and also won the series 2-1.

Gautam Gambhir, who is heading to his second ICC tournament as a coach, has previously visited the Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain and the Kalkaji Temple situated in Guwahati during the ongoing white-ball series against New Zealand. Other than Gambhir, Indian players are also visiting temples and taking the blessings of God as they march towards defending the T20 World Cup title.

Meanwhile, the Indian cricket team is in great form in the ongoing T20I series. Under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav, they have taken a 3-0 lead against the Blackcaps. The last match of the five-match series will be played at Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday.

India’s clinical performance in the series is seen as a big boost for the defending champions as they ramp up their preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026, which will commence on February 7. India is placed in Group A alongside Pakistan, the USA, Namibia, and the Netherlands. They will open their campaign against the USA on February 7.

--IANS

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