BCCI did not consult Virat Kohli before naming Gautam Gambhir as India’s new head coach, following Rahul Dravid’s exit. The board kept Hardik Pandya in loop.
Virat Kohli’s much-talked-about, out-in-the-open, feisty on-field relationship with Gautam Gambhir did not become a hindrance in the former opener’s appointment as India’s new head coach as BCCI did not even consult the modern-day great. Hindustan Times understands that Kohli’s opinion on the matter was not sought by the Indian cricket board before Gambhir’s appointment was made public.
The Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), comprising Ashok Malhotra, Jatin Paranjape, and Sulakshana Naik, unanimously recommended Gambhir’s name, who, along with former batter WV Raman, were the only ones to appear for the interview for India’s head coach’s position. On Tuesday, BCCI announced that Gambhir will replace Rahul Dravid. The former opener will take charge of the team from the Sri Lanka white-ball series.
At 42, Gambhir is India’s youngest head coach. Although his predecessor, Dravid, also shared the dressing room with the current team stars during the latter stage of his playing career, Gambhir announced his retirement from all forms barely five years ago. His last Test match, in fact, was under Kohli’s captaincy in 2016.
His relationship with Kohli, at least on the field, is not something to boast about. The duo have been involved in multiple on-field feuds in the IPL, the most infamous one being in IPL 2023 when Gambhir and Kohli came very close to landing blows after an IPL match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Lucknow Super Giants. Gambhir was LSG’s mentor then.
Things, however, took a turn in the right direction in the last IPL. Kohli took the mic to tease at suggestions of friction between him and Gambhir; their embrace during the IPL is to be seen as an exhibition that the relationship was being repaired.
But the board did not want to take any chances. With Kohli now retired from T20Is, the BCCI top brass wanted to look at the future and hence, the former captain was not consulted.
“There is enough time for the two to have conversations over the table. But it was important for the BCCI to look at the big picture with many youngsters likely to feature in the coming years,” a BCCI official told Hindustan Times.