Gautam Gambhir has started his role as the main coach of the Indian cricket team, and some people are curious about how this might affect Virat Kohli. Virat has had some disagreements with Gambhir during their playing days. After Rahul Dravid left his position as the head coach, Gambhir was chosen as the top candidate, particularly because of his successful work in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in recent years. Virat Kohli has agreed to play in the one-day international series against Sri Lanka, which means he will be on the same team as Gambhir for the first time.
In this context, a report on Cricbuzz states that Kohli has promised the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that his past disagreements with Gambhir will not affect their teamwork within the Indian cricket team. Since both are focused on a shared objective – the success of the Indian team – there is little for the board to worry about.
Gambhir and Kohli are both known for showing their emotions openly while playing cricket. Whether they were leading opposing teams in the IPL or, more recently, serving as mentors and senior players for their respective teams, they have had some intense confrontations on the field. However, since Gambhir became a mentor for Kolkata Knight Riders, things appeared to be fine between him and Kohli when they encountered each other during an IPL 2024 match.
A few months ago, Gambhir talked about his friendship with Kohli and mentioned that people don’t really understand the strong connection they share.
“People have a lot of ideas about us, but they’re not accurate. My friendship with Virat Kohli is private, and it’s not important for everyone to know about it. Just like me, Virat has the right to speak up and help our teams succeed. Our relationship isn’t about entertaining the public,” Gambhir explained.
Virat himself had acknowledged that people were upset with him for hugging Naveen-ul-Haq and Gautam Gambhir.
“People are really upset about how I acted. I hugged Naveen, and then a few days later, Gautam Gambhir, who I call Gauti bhai, hugged me too. You’ve had your fun with the gossip, so now you’re jeering. We’re grown-ups now,” Virat mentioned at a Puma event.
Initially, it was thought that both Kohli and team leader Rohit Sharma would not be able to play in the three one-day matches against Sri Lanka. However, since this was Gambhir’s first time leading the series, both Kohli and Rohit decided to be considered for the team.
