Virat Kohli, Gautam Gambhir Avoid Interaction During Practice Ahead Of 1st England ODI. Report Sparks Big Concern
Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli were notably not interacting with each other, despite Gambhir spending a lot of time with other members of the squad ahead of the first ODI match against England, according to a report.
- The lack of interaction between Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli ahead of 1st ODI clash grabbed the spotlight
- According to a report, Gambhir and Kohli were notably not interacting with each other during practice
- Gambhir had multiple interactions with skipper Shubman Gill ahead of the England match, the report added
India are looking to bounce back from a disappointing run in T20s against both Ireland and England as they shift their focus to the three-match ODI series. While Shreyas Iyer's stint as India's T20I captain got off to a horrible start with a 0-2 loss against Ireland and a 0-4 whitewash against England, the focus now shifts to the ODIs under the captaincy of Shubman Gill. Ahead of the ODI series opener against England on Tuesday, the lack of interaction between head coach Gautam Gambhir and star batter Virat Kohli grabbed the spotlight. According to a report by the Times of India, Gambhir and Kohli were notably not interacting with each other, despite Gambhir spending a lot of time with other members of the squad.
The report added that Gambhir had multiple interactions with skipper Shubman Gill. Gambhir also had conversations with Rohit Sharma, batting coach Sitanshu Kotak, and other members of the support staff, but did not speak directly to Kohli during the entire session.
According to the report, Kohli completed his batting session with Sitanshu Kotak and was even seen having an animated conversation with the batting coach.
India's preparations for the opening ODI against England gathered pace as the visitors put fielding at the centre of their training session at Edgbaston, with head coach Gautam Gambhir closely monitoring the proceedings.
The session, overseen by strength and conditioning coach Adrian Le Roux and fielding coach T. Dilip, featured a series of high-intensity drills aimed at improving agility, catching, and ground fielding in English conditions.
The players began with a warm-up routine that included a football exercise, with captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Arshdeep Singh, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Prince Yadav, and others passing the ball in small groups as they moved across the ground.
The activity was followed by dedicated fielding drills, with Dilip splitting the squad into two groups to maximize catching practice and ensure every player remained actively involved.Addressing the players during the session, Dilip stressed the importance of quick movement in the field, particularly in conditions where sharp reflexes can make a decisive difference.
"England demands you to be faster with your feet, whether it is a catch or ground fielding. That's one aspect we'll try to get better at. If your leg reaches to the ball, we're good," Dilip said while addressing the group.
(With IANS inputs)
Gautam Gambhir
Virat Kohli
India Cricket Team
England Cricket Team