'They are very cordial': BCCI secretary breaks silence on Gautam Gambhir–Virat Kohli rift rumours

Mumbai, 2025 – Board of Control for Cricket in India secretary Devajit Saikia has moved to extinguish months of speculation surrounding the relationship between India head coach Gautam Gambhir and batting mainstay Virat Kohli, insisting the pair enjoy “a very good cordial relationship”.

Persistent rumours of a rift have shadowed the national set-up since Gambhir took the reins last year, fuelled largely by televised flashpoints between the two during past Indian Premier League seasons. Speaking on the India Today podcast, Saikia categorically rejected suggestions that those tensions have carried into the India dressing room.

“I have never seen them fighting,” the BCCI secretary said. “They are in a very good cordial relationship.” Asked about the IPL confrontations that continue to circulate on social media, Saikia replied: “IPL? Maybe I didn’t see that match because I was with them when they were representing the country.”

The timing of the denial is significant. Gambhir’s tenure has overlapped with pivotal moments in Kohli’s career, most notably the 37-year-old’s recent retirement from Test cricket and ongoing debate over his role in India’s 2027 World Cup blueprint. Kohli’s form, however, has muted much of that discussion: three centuries and a 93 in his last six ODI appearances have underscored what analysts are calling one of the most prolific stretches of his one-day career.

Questions about the duo’s rapport intensified after the BCCI tightened guidelines requiring senior players to appear in domestic competitions when not on national duty. Kohli responded by turning out for his state side in both the Ranji Trophy and the Vijay Hazare Trophy after lengthy absences, a move seen as aligning with the board’s new policy rather than bending to any dressing-room discord.

On-field evidence appears to support Saikia’s stance. During February’s Champions Trophy, Gambhir and Kohli collaborated closely as India secured the ICC title, a triumph hailed within the board as proof that personal history has not impeded professional unity.

With the 2027 World Cup cycle gathering momentum, the BCCI will hope the secretary’s public intervention draws a line under the gossip and allows the focus to return to performances on the pitch.

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