![Kohli, Gambhir reportedly had issues with each other [Source: AFP]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1792476374480_Kohli,Gambhirreportedlyhadissueswitheachother.jpg?type=hq)
Kohli, Gambhir reportedly had issues with each other [Source: AFP]
Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir, two senior members of the Indian team, reportedly don’t share a close bond, and if the latest report is to be believed, then Pragyan Ojha, the newly appointed chief selector, acted as a mediator to bridge the gap between the two legendary Indian stars.
According to Hindustan Times, Ojha played a key role behind the scenes to sort things out between Kohli and Gambhir. Last year, after the Ranji ODI, the former Indian cricketer was spotted with Kohli at the airport, and the video went viral quickly.
BCCI deployed Ojha to solve Kohli-Gambhir issues
The Hindustan Times report mentioned that there was friction between Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir, especially since there were talks that the management wanted younger players instead of Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the ODI squad.
Pragyan Ojha had played alongside the 37-year-old star batter, and hence, the BCCI sent him to smooth things up between the Indian legends (Kohli and Gambhir).
"Ojha played the messenger when things got hot. Ojha’s recently retired (Feb 2020) status in the committee came in handy over his last year in the job.
His close proximity to the still-active senior players was put to good use, with Ojha deputed to act as a troubleshooter to resolve a communication gap between head coach Gautam Gambhir and batting star Virat Kohli. Ojha spoke to Kohli and attempted to act as a pacifier," the report mentions.
What happened between Kohli and Gambhir?
The two Delhi cricketers have played for India for many years, but the pair have also had their fair share of differences.
Their first real exchange took place in the IPL 2013, when Kohli captained RCB, and Gambhir was in charge of KKR. During the game, the two had a verbal exchange, and they had to be separated. Fast-forward to 2023, something similar happened in IPL 2023.
The RCB player had an argument with LSG’s Naveen-ul-Haq, and Gambhir, who was the LSG mentor, fought for his player as the two once again were involved in an argument. In 2024, Gambhir became the head coach of India, and while everything seemed normal, several reports stated that the two never saw eye to eye.
As a result, the BCCI sent in Ojha to act as a mediator to solve the issues between the two before the 2027 ODI World Cup.
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