Watch: Kohli and Gambhir avoid interaction — Report claims cold war ahead of ENG vs IND 1st ODI

After the two successive T20I series defeats against England and Ireland, the Indian side is hopeful of making a strong comeback against the Harry Brook-led side through the three-match ODI series that begins on July 14, as several stars of the game, including Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, and Shubman Gill, will be back in action.

However, a weird situation took place during India’s training session on the eve of the encounter at Edgbaston in Birmingham, where Kohli and the Indian head coach, Gautam Gambhir, were seen to be avoiding each other.

The moment: Cameras catch Kohli and Gambhir avoiding each Other at Edgbaston practice

Kohli didn’t feature in the three-match ODI series against Afghanistan at home due to injury that he picked up during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). 

Watch Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir avoiding interaction here-

The reports have claimed that Gambhir was seen to be engaging comfortably with all the senior players, including Gill, Rohit, Bumrah, and KL Rahul. But the reporters on the ground failed to capture Gambhir and Kohli together in the field during the entire practice session.

See Also: India announce replacements for injured Harshit Rana and Varun Chakaravarthy ahead of England ODI Series

Virat Kohli, instead, spent most of his time in an extended net session, with the batting coach, Sitanshu Kotak, stepping in to speak with him before the latter had a conversation with the head coach. The silence has raised a question on the relationship between these two veterans. 

Shubman Gill opens up on Kohli's role in India's ODI World Cup 2027 plans

Gill has opened up on Kohli’s role for the Indian side ahead of the next ODI World Cup in 2027. He stated that the star batting duo of Kohli and Rohit Sharma had been the backbone of the Indian side for over a decade and deserve the respect that comes with it. 

“We were speaking about the combinations that could work in South Africa next year, the players who are not in the team at the moment and who could be tried out.” Gill expressed in the pre-match press conference.

See Also: Watch: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi visibly crying after being dropped for ENG vs IND 5th T20I

“Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been the backbone of the Indian batting line-up for the past decade, and they remain an integral part of the team. The experience and skill they bring are obviously very valuable. We have seen what they have done over the past decade in different conditions.” The Indian captain revealed.

Fans react as Kohli-Gambhir 'cold war' talk resurfaces before the Edgbaston opener

The fans were shocked and gave their view on social media about the cold war between Gambhir and Kohli ahead of the Edgbaston opener-