Gambhir was bereaved when he lost his maternal grandmother Asha Gulati. She was 71 and suffered cardiac arrest last night.
Gambhir cut short his stay in Ahmedabad to return home and be with his family.
India might have to bat the second time in the match tomorrow as England, after being forced to follow-on, today wiped off the huge 330-run deficit and were ahead by 10 runs when stumps were drawn on the fourth day.