Tension between Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir? Head coach doesn't talk to batter, fans claim | IND vs ENG 1st ODI

Before the first ODI India Vs. England captain Shubman Gill hailed the enduring influence of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. He also saluted Jasprit Bumrah. The ‘Amazing Trio’, as the BCCI calls them, returns to the team after a break.

However, many fans referred to the viral videos that showed Gautam Gambhir practicing Virat Kohli at the nets. Some found it strange. One of the first people to report the “tension” was Ray Sports journalist Ankan Kar.

“Why isn’t head coach Gautam Gambhir talking to Virat Kohli? What happened at Edgbaston Nets that ‘shocked’ everyone?” he wondered.

“Didn’t watch KL Rahul and Shubman Gill get fired up but couldn’t take his eyes off Virat. Finally got him out and looked happy,” wrote one.

Read also | ‘Agarkar, Gambhir should step down’: Indian cricket fans furious | IND vs. ENG

“Is Gautam Gambhir putting Virat Kohli under pressure? During yesterday’s practice, Gambhir was standing right by Virat Kohli’s net and watching him closely. Virat and Gambhir didn’t speak for a long time. Virat played a few awkward shots and then was clean with a soft delivery on the third ball.” As soon as another spoken net batting session is over, Gambhir is done net batting, Gambtak S. user.

One user claimed, “There is no conversation between Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir during practice. Kohli is only talking to Sitanshu Kotak.”

“The Amazing Trio”

Shubman Gill called Rohit and Virat the backbone of the Indian batting unit. Gill highlighted their experience, consistency and ability in a variety of conditions.

Read also | IND vs ENG: Virat Kohli named in Indian squad for ODIs; Jasprit Bumrah is making a comeback

“Virat bhai and Rohit bhai have been the backbone of the Indian middle order for the last decade. They have remained a very integral part of our team. The experience and skills they bring to the team is obviously very valuable,” Gill said at a press conference.

“Bumrah is getting into the setup after some time. Hopefully he had a lot of overs before this one-day series. Hopefully he will do well in this one-day series. Hopefully we will win the series…” he added.

India will play the 1st ODI against England in Birmingham on July 14. The match starts at 3:00 PM (India Time). This is the start of India’s preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa.

Shubman Gill also said that discussions are on about potential combinations for next year’s tournament. This includes evaluating players who are not currently part of the team. He highlighted the value that both Rohit and Virat bring on a regular basis. Their decade-long consistency remains essential to the team’s overall structure, he said.

Read also | Will Virat Kohli come out of test retirement? Veteran India opens the batter

India will be hoping to overcome their disappointing recent T20I tour results. They recently suffered a 0-4 defeat in the series against England. This included their heaviest defeat in a T20I. Before that, the world champions lost 0-2 against Ireland (world ranking 11).

The men in blue will now look to improve on their performances in ODIs. England enter the series with strong confidence after their T20I dominance. They now want to maintain their winning momentum at home.

India will be looking to get better first results in this format. Both teams will use this streak to build up to 2027.

Reaction on social networks

“Truly a great trio. Kohli’s hunger, Rohit’s composure and Bumrah’s precision – each a masterclass in consistency. That’s the backbone India need for the ODI challenge,” wrote an Indian cricket fan.

One user wrote: “It’s good to have heavy armor back in the ranks. But the true test of a captain isn’t mastering legends – it’s making them play like they still have something to prove.”