Gautam Gambhir addresses his relationship with Virat Kohli: "It's between the two of us and not for TRP"

In his first press conference as the newly-appointed head coach of the India men's cricket team, Gautam Gambhir addressed the much-discussed topic of his relationship with batting star Virat Kohli. Gambhir made it clear that their relationship is a private matter, not meant for public spectacle or TRP boosts.

Gambhir and Kohli's on-field confrontations have been well-documented, but recent interactions suggest that they have moved past their rivalry. Notably, the two were seen sharing a hug after a match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore, and a clip of their friendly chat quickly went viral on social media. This development is timely as the duo is set to work together during the upcoming T20 and ODI tour of Sri Lanka starting on July 27.

"My relationship with Virat Kohli is between the two of us and not for TRP," Gambhir stated firmly during the press conference. Kohli, who recently retired from T20 International cricket, is part of India's ODI squad for the Sri Lanka tour and has expressed his readiness to start this new chapter with a clean slate.

Gambhir emphasized that their off-field relationship is positive and will remain so. "We share a very good relationship off the field and will continue to do that. To make it more public, what kind of a relationship... I think it's between two individuals. I've had a lot of chats with him (Kohli)… we've shared messages," he elaborated.

He underscored that the focus should be on their commitment to making India proud rather than creating headlines about their relationship. "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," Gambhir asserted.

Gambhir also touched upon the significance of managing the workload of key players like Jasprit Bumrah, especially with senior players Rohit Sharma and Kohli stepping back from T20 Internationals following India's T20 World Cup triumph last month.

The last notable clash between Kohli and Gambhir occurred in May 2023 at Lucknow's Ekana Stadium, where they had to be separated by teammates after a heated exchange during an IPL game. However, a year later, the two seem to have reconciled, symbolized by Gambhir hugging Kohli during an IPL match, marking a new chapter in their professional relationship.