India national cricket team coach Sitanshu Kotak broke his silence on rumors of possible rift between head coach Gautam Gambhir and batting star Virat Kohli after the India vs England 2nd ODI in Cardiff. Sitanshu Kotak dismissed all the rumors and claimed that there is no rift between Virat and Gautam and the two talked several times throughout the day of the match.
Ahead of the first ODI of the three-match series at Edgbaston, Birmingham, it was reported that Virat and Gambhir were not on talking terms, and kept their distance during the practice session.
Rift between Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir?
Team India had to face defeat against England in Cardiff amid speculations about the relationship between the head coach and the batsman. However, if the claims of the Indian batting coach are to be believed then there was no dispute between Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir.
Ever since Virat Kohli retired from Test cricket, there have been many reports stating that Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir are not on good terms. The speculations were fueled when video footage of India’s practice session in Birmingham started circulating on social media platforms.
Batting coach rejects Virat Kohli-Gautam Gambhir’s claim of ‘no conversation’
Through the video, it was claimed that Virat and Gambhir were not on talking terms; Even during the net session, the head coach maintained distance from the batsman. Sitanshu Kotak dismissed all these claims in Cardiff after India vs England 2nd ODI. Kotak said that these claims are baseless as there is a very good relationship between the batsman and the head coach.
“Virat and Gautam, they must have talked 10 times today. I don’t think they need any bridge,” Sitanshu Kotak told reporters. He further told that during the training session before any match, Virat Kohli mostly likes to take care of his batting himself.
He required support from the team coaches only for footwork-related issues.
“And Virat, basically, before he went to bat, he talked about a few things. Because, Virat, I say honestly, as a batting coach, unless he feels anything, or if he doesn’t see anything, there should be no disturbance in his batting. And the way he bats, we should not say much,” Sitanshu Kotak continued.
He added, “But, mainly, how is his footwork going? A few things, he asked me first. And then, after the nets, he was talking. Apart from that, what are you saying, I don’t know; where the rumors come from, but they come.”
Don’t bother Virat Kohli – Sitanshu Kotak on Virat serious rumors
: Team India’s batting coach dismissed rumors of rift between Virat and Gautam Gambhir, saying that they still talk several times a day. He said that Virat discussed only a few pointspic.twitter.com/Am9Ohm7RYx
– Sam (@cricsam02) July 17, 2026
Joe Root ensures England’s victory in Cardiff
Kohli was in good form in Cardiff and scored 65 runs off 66 balls. Kohli got the support of Shreyas Iyer, who also scored a half-century in the first innings of the match. Despite a few half-centuries, India were restricted to 233 for 10 as the rest of the batting order collapsed.
Joe Root’s unbeaten 99 runs in the second innings of the match were most influential in deciding the outcome of the match. The England batting star ensured England’s victory with his composed, sensible batting to level the 3-match ODI series.
Ahead of the third, which will be the final match of the series, the scoreboard reads 1-1 as both the teams have won one each so far.