Virat Kohli ignores Gautam Gambhir completely in dressing room as coach awkwardly watches

Rumors about tension between Virat Kohli and Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir grew even stronger after a surprising moment during the first ODI in Ranchi on November 30. Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir shared light-hearted moments and laughter whenever they were around each other, but those friendly days now seem far away.

Kohli had a dream return to home soil. The former Indian captain smashed a brilliant century, brought back memories of his peak years, and played the key role in India’s 17-run win over South Africa in the first ODI in Ranchi. He was awarded the Player of the Match trophy for his stunning 135.

Virat Kohli–Gautam Gambhir drama sparks rumors after Ranchi ODI

But what happened right after the presentation left everyone shocked. As Kohli walked up the stairs toward the Indian dressing room, cameras caught a moment that set social media on fire. Gambhir was visible inside the room, standing near the entrance, but Kohli walked past him without even looking up.

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He stayed busy with his phone and didn’t acknowledge the head coach at all. What shocked fans even more is that earlier in the match, everything had looked perfectly normal. After Kohli hit his 52nd ODI century, Gambhir stood up and applauded alongside the batting coach, Sitanshu Kotak, and bowling coach, Morne Morkel.

Inside the dressing room, Gambhir even hugged Kohli warmly after he was dismissed for 135. Yet, just a few hours later, Kohli seems to be taking the help of his mobile phone to ignore the Indian head coach entirely. This moment has once again fuelled chatter around their relationship.

Virat Kohli is using his phone to ignore Gautam Gambhir😅😲pic.twitter.com/wHIjhHNQh7

— Ravi Sharma (@RaviSharma2845) December 1, 2025

Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir’s relationship turns cold after Test retirements

Meanwhile, a new report has created a storm in Indian cricket by revealing growing tension inside the national setup. As reported by Dainik Jagran, the bond between Gautam Gambhir and senior stars Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma is no longer the same as it was when the head coach first took over after Rahul Dravid.

The relationship that once looked smooth and promising has slowly turned cold. There was earlier trust and understanding between them, but it has now been replaced by distance, less communication, and visible discomfort between the coach and two of the biggest names of the game.

Read Also: Marco Jansen calls Virat Kohli “annoying” after Ranchi ODI

Tension inside the Indian camp reportedly began after Kohli and Rohit announced their surprise retirements from Test cricket. The report claims that during the ODI series in Australia, Rohit and chief selector Ajit Agarkar were not on the best of terms, hinting at a growing strain between senior players and the team management.

BCCI to step in to solve the issues between Gautam Gambhir and senior players

Dainik Jagran quoted a BCCI source as saying, “The relations between Gautam Gambhir and senior players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma aren't as good as they should be, and there could be a meeting regarding the future of the two players. This could take place either in Raipur or Visakhapatnam—venues for the second and third ODIs.”

Now, the BCCI is likely to step in and sort things out between them in the upcoming meeting.