India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak has confirmed that everything is fine between Virat Kohli and head coach Gautam Gambhir. Rumours about a rift between the two have been around for a long time. When Gambhir became India’s head coach, Kohli had already denied those claims. Recently, the rumours started again after reports said Kohli and Gambhir did not speak to each other during the practice session before the first ODI against England.
Sitanshu Kotak Ends Kohli-Gambhir Rift Rumours
However, Kotak has now made it clear that there are no issues between them. Gambhir watched Kohli but didn’t have a chat with the India great during the net session. Instead, it was Kotak who had a word with Kohli, further fueling the rumours. However, all have been put to rest now, with Kotak making a big statement on the Kohli-Gambhir relationship.
“Virat and Gautam, they must have talked 10 times today. I don’t think they need a bridge,” Kotak told reporters in the post-match press conference after the second ODI.
On his chat with Virat Kohli during the net session, he said, “And Virat, basically, before going into batting, he talked about certain things. Because, Virat, I honestly say, as a batting coach, till the time he doesn’t feel anything, or if he doesn’t see anything, his batting shouldn’t be disturbed. And we shouldn’t say much, the way he bats.
“But, mainly, how is his footwork going? Certain things, he asked me before. And then, after the nets, he was talking. Apart from that, what you are saying, I don’t know, where do the rumours come from, but they do come,” he added.
India started the ODI series with a big win over England, but the hosts came back strongly in the second match with a thrilling four-wicket victory. India’s batting struggled once again and managed only 233 runs. England chased down the target comfortably, thanks to Joe Root’s unbeaten 99, to level the series.
Kohli had a brilliant outing in the game and scored 66. Shreyas Iyer also scored 66, but others were a letdown, especially Rohit Sharma, who endured his second failure on the tour. Reports are doing rounds that the final ODI at Lord’s could be Rohit Sharma’s final game.