Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli. (Photo Source: Jio Cinema)
Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir have been controversies favourite children thanks to their on-field verbal tussle over the year in the Indian Premier League. The duo, known for their aggressive outlook on the field, first had a go at each other during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s game against Kolkata Knight Riders, captained by Gambhir, in IPL 2013. Things were further ahead when they were up against each other during RCB and Lucknow Super Giants’ game, mentored by Gambhir, in IPL 2023.
As things turned out, the former India opener was named as the Head Coach of the Indian cricket team, and he will share the dressing room with Kohli in it. The duo swamped all the rumbles when they hugged each other followed by a long chat during IPL 2024. However, former New Zealand cricketer, Scott Styris quipped that the camaraderie between two stalwarts will be time-tested.
“Yeah, it’s a really good question. I think it’s wait and see. I don’t think anyone can sit here and say it’s gonna work that well or it’s not gonna work. I think both players will just tap to bite their tongue a little bit and observe and watch the way that, in Virat’s case, watch the way Gautam is looking to run the team and Gautham will be looking for Virat’s leadership to help all the younger players,” Styris was quoted as saying by India Today.
“So there’s so much that we don’t know about that relationship and how it’s going to operate in a team with two different players having two different levels of power in that group as well. So I think they’re both. Firstly, they’re both terrific cricketers. They both have very good cricket brains. I think they’d both be smart enough to work out a way where it can be beneficial to the team and their performances,” he added.
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Gambhir, Suryakumar fare well in new roles on their debut outing
Suryakumar Yadav was named as the new T20I captain for Team India ahead of the Sri Lanka tour. Gautam Gambhir, for whom the series was also the maiden assignment as coach, fared well as India clinched two consecutive games to lead the three T20I series by 2-0. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who have retired from the shortest format reached the island country on July 29 for the impending ODI series.