Last Updated on 4 hours ago by Charbel Coorey
The alleged rift between Virat Kohli and Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir has become a major topic of discussion in the ongoing ODI series against England. There has been no public spat between the duo in recent times but their relationship is understood to have remained distant since the Border Gavaskar Trophy concluded in January 2025.
This stems from the so called “Mr. Fix-It” episode. The Indian Express in one report after the Melbourne Test claimed that a senior player wanted the captaincy back, and the tag eventually went to Kohli. The report is said to have hurt the former India skipper badly.
People close to him said the incident left a deep impression. The sense was that the people who had asked him to lead the Indian team and help oversee its transition were now allowing questions about his intentions and his role to be raised publicly.
Virat Kohli has publicly spoken of the importance of good communication
Kohli had also spoken about the importance of communication in an RCB podcast conversation with Mayanti Langer. He’d made it a point that if management wanted his services, a player should be told to his face.
“The moment I feel like people are trying to complicate it for me and be like ‘oh this and that’, either be clear and honest and upfront or be quiet and let me play,” Kohli said, as quoted by The Hindu.
“If you go to a workplace and people say we believe in your abilities, and a week later they start questioning the way you operate, it’s like why?
“Either tell me on day one I’m not good enough or I’m not needed. Or if you’ve said I’m good enough and you say we’re not even thinking otherwise, then be quiet.”
There was no mention of any direct names but the comments were seen as an indication of the potential communication problems within the Indian set-p. There were many who felt that Gambhir was referred to indirectly.
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BCCI top officials want situation sorted
Reports suggest that the situation remains tense during the ongoing ODI series against England. Media personnel covering the Indian team have said that Kohli and Gambhir have mostly stayed away from the expected mingling between a senior player and a head coach.
Batting coach Sitanshu Kotak said the pair “must have talked 10 times today” during the second ODI against England as he dismissed talks of a rift. However, rumours remain.
CricBlog understands that senior BCCI officials want to resolve the communication breakdown between Kohli and Gambhir. The situation has reportedly raised concerns over the wider atmosphere within the Indian team. With Kohli and Gambhir being such big figures, it is believed that some junior members in the squad have become wary about their interaction with the two.
It is understood some younger players have been reluctant to speak freely with one person for fear it could have an impact on their relationship with the other. So the problem is being seen as one that needs to be put right before it causes any more discomfort in the dressing room.
Ajit Agarkar’s sudden London touchdown fuels the story
The issue has become more important with BCCI’s chief selector Ajit Agarkar reaching London ahead of the all-important Lord’s ODI. Agarkar’s visit was not part of the original plans for the England leg of the tour, according to sources.
South Zone selector Pragyan Ojha was already with the team for this part of the assignment and was expected to take over the tour duties. The alleged Kohli-Gambhir saga, plus the Rohit Sharma situation, are believed to be the reasons for Agarkar’s trip.
Time will tell if reported efforts will result in a full resolution. But with the 2027 ODI World Cup cycle already underway, the Indian cricket board is unlikely to want a long cold war between its head coach and one of its biggest senior player to continue.
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