Much has been discussed about the potential dynamics between Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli during Gambhir’s tenure as Team India’s head coach. The two had a heated verbal exchange during IPL 2023 but have since moved past it. However, their relationship continues to be a topic of interest as Gambhir assumes the head coach role and Kohli remains a key player. Both are known for their assertive personalities, which adds to the speculation.
“Whatever happened in IPL, they should keep it behind them. They are very senior cricketers and mature sportsmen,” Venkatapathy Raju told NDTV in an exclusive interview.
“There will be a lot of discussions on social media. We should just leave them (Kohli and Gambhir) be,” added the former India cricketer.
With Rahul Dravid’s departure as head coach, Gambhir was a natural choice for the role, especially given his impressive work in the IPL over the past few years. Kohli’s agreement to participate in India’s ODI series against Sri Lanka marks the first time he will work under Gambhir in the national team setup.
Both Gambhir and Kohli are known for their passionate approach to cricket, whether as opposing captains in the IPL or as mentor and senior player of their respective franchises. They have had their share of on-field confrontations, but after Gambhir moved to Kolkata Knight Riders as a mentor, their relationship appeared cordial during an IPL 2024 match.
Recently, Gambhir stated that his relationship with Kohli is private and not for public consumption.
“Good for the TRP, but my relationship is not public. What kind of relationship I share with Virat Kohli… I think it’s between two mature individuals,” Gambhir said during a press conference.
India’s three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka begins on July 27, followed by an ODI series of the same length. The series will be broadcast live on Sony Sports Network.
