The appointment of Gautam Gambhir as Team India’s head coach has sparked discussions about his relationship with star batter Virat Kohli. The duo’s past verbal altercation during IPL 2023 has raised questions about their compatibility in the national team setup.
However, former India cricketer Venkatapathy Raju believes that the incident should be put behind them. “They are very senior cricketers and they are mature sportsmen,” Raju said. “There will be a lot of discussions on social media. We should just leave them.”
Gambhir’s emergence as the frontrunner for the head coach position is attributed to his successful stint with the Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL. Kohli’s decision to participate in the ODI series against Sri Lanka will mark the first time he works with Gambhir in the same team.
Both Gambhir and Kohli are known for their fiery personalities on the field. As captains of opposing IPL teams and later as mentors and senior players, they have had heated exchanges. However, their relationship seemed to improve after Gambhir joined the Kolkata Knight Riders as a mentor.
Gambhir has downplayed the significance of his relationship with Kohli, stating that it is a private matter. “My relationship is not public. What kind of a relationship I share with Virat Kohli… I think it’s between two mature individuals,” he said.
India’s upcoming T20I and ODI series against Sri Lanka will provide an opportunity to observe the dynamics between Gambhir and Kohli in a national team setting. The series will be telecast live on Sony Sports Network, with Raju providing commentary in Telugu.
