Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli [Source: X.com]The relationship between Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir has been discussed widely for quite some time. After Gambhir was appointed as the head coach of the Indian men’s cricket team, many people began questioning whether the two strong personalities would be able to work together smoothly. Notably, this mainly stemmed from their past on-field clashes during IPL matches, which had created an impression of long-standing tension between them.Tension between Virat Kohli and Gautam GambhirAt the beginning of Gambhir’s tenure as head coach, everything appeared normal. However, after India’s disappointing performance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, the situation started attracting more attention. Soon after the series, Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket and chose to continue playing only ODIs. As a result, several reports linked this decision to internal issues within the team, especially his relationship with Gambhir, even though no official confirmation supported such claims.Over the past few months, the discussion resurfaced once again. Kohli and Gambhir were not seen interacting much during net practice sessions. In addition, after the first ODI against New Zealand, Kohli was seen walking past Gambhir inside the dressing room without acknowledging him.BCCI secretary sets the record straightThe Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has now addressed these rumours. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, speaking on the India Today Podcast, clearly stated that there is no fight between Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir.“I have never seen them fighting. They are in a very good cordial relationship,” Saikia said.When asked about their heated exchange during IPL 2023, Saikia responded by saying that he did not watch that particular match and added that it is not possible to follow every game closely. “I haven't seen it. IPL? Maybe I didn't see that match because I was with them when they were representing the country. So, IPL: watching every match is not possible," Saikia said.No plan to remove Virat Kohli From Indian teamSaikia also responded strongly to claims that Gambhir wants Virat Kohli removed from the national side. He dismissed this idea as mere perception and stressed that Kohli continues to be an important part of the team.“Nobody can force a player of the stature of Virat Kohli to change and make a decision. He is at that level. He is not an ordinary player; he is a legend in Indian cricket. Nobody can force him to make a decision unless he chooses to. The board will not interfere in any player's career,” said Saikia.There were also earlier reports claiming that Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma were considering retirement from ODIs after the Australia series last year. Notably, Saikia dismissed these reports as baseless, saying such matters were never discussed within the board.Recently, both players performed well in the India vs New Zealand ODI series. Kohli scored 240 runs in three innings, while Rohit Sharma scored 61 runs. The pair is now expected to return to action against Afghanistan in July 2026.
