India coach forced to intervene in Rohit Sharma-Virat Kohli vs Gautam Gambhir dressing room fight rumours

India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak dismissed speculation about any rift between the team management and senior batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Kotak confirmed that Rohit and Virat are in regular discussions with head coach Gautam Gambhir as part of the planning process for the ODI World Cup 2027.

Rumours of indifference between Virat and Rohit with Gambhir floated after both batters retired from the red-ball format before last year’s Test tour of England. The board reportedly held a meeting during the recent South Africa series to improve communication between senior players and the selectors.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli Discuss With Gautam Gambhir - Sitanshu Kotak

Ahead of the second ODI against New Zealand, Sitanshu Kotak clarified that there is no breakdown in communication in the dressing room. He said that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are planning for the World Cup with Gautam Gambhir, adding that social media chatter does not reflect the reality.

SHORTS

View More

Your daily dose of cricket!

Loading...

“They discuss with Gautam (Gambhir) about ODI formats, about the matches we have, and our plans going (ahead) to South Africa (World Cup in 2027),” Kotak said.

“Most of the time I’m there and if I’m listening. They definitely share the experience and I always see them talking. Obviously, in social media, you see a lot of things which I try to avoid seeing,” he quipped.

They Are Thorough Professionals - Sitanshu Kotak on Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli

Sitanshu Kotak said that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli operate with complete clarity and they do not need constant direction from the management. He noted that they carefully manage their batting, fitness, and recovery on their own, based on what their bodies and preparation require.

“They are thorough professionals. So I don’t think they need to be saying they need to do this or that. In fact, the amount of experience they have, they can share a lot of ideas with other players and they do discuss,” Kotak said.

“See, both of them are so senior and so experienced. They definitely make plans. They want to practice at all the venues. If they feel they need to, they’ll go a couple of days in advance."

"They practice because they both also have been such outstanding players for India. Planning-wise and all, they are brilliant. They know what they need to do. They know what their body needs, not only batting, even fitness, whatever requirements they have,” he said.

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma Stay in Good Form as Future Decisions Remain on Hold

The team management has not yet spoken clearly about the future of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. The selection committee is also taking its time and has not rushed into any decisions. Both players continue to perform well on the field.

Since the South Africa series, Kohli has hit two centuries and three fifty-plus scores. He looks relaxed at the crease and is enjoying his batting. Rohit has not scored a big innings yet, but he has looked fluent and in good touch.

Meanwhile, the team management may bring in Nitish Reddy as a replacement for Washington Sundar, who suffered a rib injury during the first ODI in Vadodara.

Reddy is a strong option because he can bowl a few overs in addition to the main bowlers, which could be useful on a high-scoring pitch like the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot on Wednesday, January 14.

Also read: Shreyas Iyer refuses to speak at length about Virat Kohli’s heroics vs NZ