‘No eye contact, no chat’: Virat Kohli’s cold shoulder to Gautam Gambhir sparks Indian team rift rumours ahead of SA ODI clash

Rumors of discord within the Indian dressing room continued to circulate during the team's training session on Tuesday (December 2) in Raipur, as they prepared for the second ODI at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium. Tensions were particularly noticeable between Gautam Gambhir, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli. According to a report from Press Trust of India (PTI), Gambhir was closely observing Kohli as he took throwdowns. The former Indian captain appeared to be in good form, with footage from the stadium showcasing him executing some impressive shots.

Despite this, Kohli concluded his net session and walked past Gambhir without exchanging any words with the head coach. The report also indicated that Rohit soon followed Kohli out of the nets, although he did manage to have a brief conversation with Rohit.

While the net session itself was uneventful, the dynamic between Kohli and Gambhir remained a topic of scrutiny. Since Kohli's return to the Indian camp in October, he has not been seen engaging in conversation with the head coach during any training sessions, whether in Australia or during the current series.

Nevertheless, the two did share a moment in Ranchi after Kohli returned to the dressing room following his century in the series opener against South Africa. However, a later social media post depicted Kohli entering the dressing room without speaking to Gambhir, who was positioned near the door.

In contrast, there have been reports suggesting that Rohit is dissatisfied after losing the captaincy. Despite this, he has been spotted having discussions with Gambhir since the Australian tour. However, his relationship with chief selector Ajit Agarkar is said to be strained.

Prior to the Australian tour, there was significant speculation regarding the ODI futures of Rohit and Virat, even though both played pivotal roles in India's Champions Trophy victory. There are claims that the team management does not envision them as part of the plans for the 2027 World Cup. Nevertheless, both players have chosen to let their performances speak for themselves.

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