Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir on Tuesday opened up about the bond he shared with batting stalwart and his "friend" Virat Kohli.
Gautam and Virat have had a history of engaging in heated on-field arguments, which have sparked rumours of a breakdown in the relationship between them.
The rumours spiked especially after their animated interaction during a fixture between the Lucknow Super Giants and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the 2023 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
During a group-stage encounter, Gambhir, who was serving as LSG mentor, was involved in a fiery exchange with Virat. It all began with the RCB batting maestro, and Afghan quick Naveen-ul-Haq had a heated exchange when players from both teams shook hands after the match.
Moments later, Gambhir was seen animatedly speaking to Virat. Other players, including then LSG skipper K L Rahul and support staff, were seen separating the two.
While speaking at the ABP News Summit on Tuesday, Gambhir clarified that people said a lot to gain TRP out of their heated exchange.
"We were friends, we are friends, and we are going to stay friends. On the field, when you represent two different teams, you have the right to fight for your side. But off the field, the relationship you share, everyone doesn't need to know it. People have said a lot to gain TRP. More importantly, we should love what he has done for Indian cricket," Gambhir said.
Gambhir went on to jokingly describe his relation with Virat and said that the would ask the BCCI to stop posting about them on social media and said, "It's just two Delhi boys having fun. If that's a problem, I'll tell the BCCI to stop posting about it."
He even admitted that if he had the opportunity to enter someone's body for a single day, it would be Virat because of his incredible fitness level.
"If I could enter a cricketer's body, it would be Virat Kohli, because he is the fittest player in the team," he added.
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