As Gautam Gambhir begins his stint as the head coach of the Indian cricket team, many were left wondering what the situation would mean for Virat Kohli, a player who has had numerous on-field tussles with the former India opener. After Rahul Dravid’s exit as India’s head coach was confirmed, Gambhir emerged as the clear and favourite alternative, especially considering the work he has done in the Indian Premier League (IPL) over the last 2-3 years. With Virat Kohli also giving the nod to be a part of India’s ODI assignment against Sri Lanka, it would be the first time that he would be working with Gambhir in the same team.
Amid this situation, a report in Cricbuzz has confirmed that Kohli has assured the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that his differences with Gambhir in the past aren’t going to impact their relationship within the Indian team. With the two working towards a common goal – the benefit of the Indian team – there isn’t much that the board needs to be afraid of.
Both Gambhir and Kohli are known to wear their hearts on their sleeves while playing cricket. Be it as opponent teams’ captains in the IPL or more recently, as a mentor and senior players of their respective franchises, the two have had some fiery clashes on the field. But, after Gambhir’s switch to Kolkata Knight Riders as a mentor, it all seemed well between him and Kohli when they met during an IPL 2024 match.
A few months ago, Gambhir had spoken of his relationship with Kohli, saying the country doesn’t even know what sort of a bond the two have.
“The perception is far away from the reality. My relationship with Virat Kohli is something this country doesn’t need to know. He has as much right as I do to express himself and help our respective teams win. Our relation is not to give masala to the public,” Gambhir had said.
Even Virat had admitted that people were disappointed in him after he hugged Naveen-ul-Haq and Gautam Gambhir.
“People are very disappointed with my behaviour. I hugged Naveen, and then the other day, Gauti bhai [Gautam Gambhir came and hugged me. Your masala is over, so you’re booing. We’re not kids anymore,” Virat had said during a Puma event.
Both Kohli and skipper Rohit Sharma weren’t expected to be available for the 3-match ODI series against Sri Lanka at first. But, considering it was Gambhir’s first series in charge, the two made themselves available for selection.
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