India’s final training session ahead of the first ODI against England has sparked discussion after reports claimed that Virat Kohli and head coach Gautam Gambhir were not seen speaking to each other during practice in Birmingham.
According to multiple reports, there is no indication of any disagreement between the two. However, observers noted that while Gambhir interacted with several players and support staff members throughout the session, he was not seen having a direct conversation with Kohli.
The entire ODI squad took part in the practice session, including captain Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and the bowling unit. Kohli, who returns to the ODI side after missing the Afghanistan series due to a hamstring injury, spent a long time batting in the nets before holding an extended discussion with batting coach Sitanshu Kotak.
Gautam Gambhir, meanwhile, remained actively involved with the rest of the squad. He was seen discussing strategies with Shubman Gill while inspecting the pitch, later spoke with Rohit Sharma after the opener’s batting session and also interacted with Sitanshu Kotak and other members of the coaching staff as India completed their preparations. The training session otherwise followed its usual routine, with players taking part in batting, bowling and fielding drills. Shreyas Iyer was the only specialist batter who did not bat in the nets.
India head into the ODI series looking to bounce back after a disappointing run in white-ball cricket, having lost the T20I series 0-2 to Ireland before suffering a 4-0 defeat against England.
Despite the speculation surrounding the training session, Shubman Gill recently made it clear that Virat Kohli continues to play a key role in the team’s leadership group. Ahead of the first ODI, Shubman Gill revealed that he had recently discussed India’s plans for the 2027 ODI World Cup with Kohli, including team combinations, potential squad members and the roles players could play in the future.
