[WATCH] Virat Kohli, Gautam Gambhir avoid interaction during nets ahead of first ODI

India's training session at Edgbaston ahead of the first ODI against England was dominated by a talking point that had nothing to do with match strategy: Virat Kohli and head coach Gautam Gambhir were reportedly not seen interacting during the team's practice, and the absence of any visible conversation between the two quickly became the biggest talking point from the session. Kohli spent most of his time in an extended net session, with batting coach Sitanshu Kotak speaking with him individually before later having a separate conversation with Gambhir.

Gambhir, meanwhile, was observed speaking with several senior members of the squad, including Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill and KL Rahul. Reporters present at the ground noted no direct exchange between the head coach and Kohli throughout the practice. The two Delhi cricketers share a well-documented history, with their on-field IPL clashes once making regular headlines, though Gambhir has since moved into coaching and Kohli remains one of India's most senior players. The optics, given the scrutiny that follows the Indian team at every turn, were hard to miss.

The England series marks Kohli's return to the Indian setup after missing the recent series against Afghanistan due to a hamstring injury picked up during the IPL 2026 final while playing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Midway through that final, he sustained a hamstring tear but continued to play through the pain, scoring an unbeaten 75 to help his side win back-to-back championships. England, brimming with confidence after inflicting a 4-0 whitewash on India in the T20I leg of the same tour, arrive at the ODI series with momentum firmly on their side.

Watch the video below:

The clip above, shared on social media by a cricket account, captures the absence of any visible interaction between Kohli and Gambhir at the Edgbaston nets. The silence has reignited chatter about the fractured state of the relationship between India's biggest star and its head coach, though no official statement has been made by either party. Kohli now plays only ODI cricket for India, having stepped away from T20Is and Tests, making every appearance in the format closely watched.

Shubman Gill on the Kohli conversation and India's ODI plans

Gill was seen in a lengthy conversation with Kohli during the nets, and at his pre-match press conference he revealed that the discussion centred on ODI combinations for the 2027 World Cup.

"We were talking about the combination. Which combination would be best for us, which players are there who may not be in the team right now but can help us in the future, which bowlers, which all-rounders, which spinners. We were talking about all of that," he said. 

The three-match ODI series begins at Edgbaston on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, moves to Cardiff on Thursday, July 16, 2026, and concludes at Lord's on Sunday, July 19, 2026. How Kohli performs with the bat across those three games will be watched as closely as anything happening off the field.