Gautam Gambhir On Virat Kohli: A Private Bond Beyond Public Eye

India head coach Gautam Gambhir has emphasised that his relationship with Virat Kohli is private and should not be publicised. He made this clear during his first press conference on Monday, July 22, before the team's departure to Sri Lanka.

The former Kolkata Knight Riders mentor has had past confrontations with Kohli. They clashed during an IPL match a decade ago and had another heated exchange when Gambhir was the mentor for Lucknow Super Giants. However, their relationship appears to have improved recently.

"It's good for the TRP, but my relationship [with Kohli] is not public. What kind of relationship I share with Virat Kohli is between two mature individuals. On the field, everyone has got the right to fight for their own team and own jersey and come back to a winning dressing room," Gambhir said.

Gambhir also highlighted that they are united in their goal of representing India. "At the moment, I think we are presenting India, we are representing 140 crore Indians and we have to be on the same page and make India pride proud. I share a very good relationship with him off the field and will continue to do that," he added.

The India coach confirmed that he exchanged messages with Kohli following his appointment but insisted that their interactions should remain private. "To make it more public what kind of a relationship it is between two individuals. I have had a lot of chats with him we exchanged messages. I think it's not important what we discuss, how many chats have I had with him after my announcement or before my announcement," he further said.

Gambhir accused the media of seeking sensational headlines and stressed their shared commitment to making India proud. "Sometimes, just because we want headlines, it's not important. Right now, the most important thing is we both are going to be working extremely hard to make India proud. And that's our job. He is a thorough professional. He is a world-class player. I've had huge respect for him as a player, and it's going to continue. Hopefully, we can work together really well," Gambhir concluded.

Virat Kohli will participate in the ODI matches in Sri Lanka following the T20I series. Additionally, he will play a significant role in the 10 consecutive Test matches starting from September.