India's head coach Gautam Gambhir former captain Rohit Sharma Has opened up about his relationship with the coach, stating that their equation was never limited to the traditional coach-captain relationship.
These comments come amid ongoing speculation over the relationship between the two former Indian teammates. However, Gambhir clarified that their relationship dates back to Rohit's early years in international cricket, before Gambhir became India's head coach.
Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma knew each other before the coaching era
Gambhir told that when Rohit was making his mark in the Indian team, he already knew him.
According to the India head coach, their relationship therefore did not start when he took over the coaching role. Gambhir was a senior player when Rohit came into the international setup, creating a shared history between the two which later fed into their professional relationship as their coach and captain.
Clarifying the background, Gambhir said on JioHotstar:
“The relationship between Rohit and me was not just that of captain and coach.”
He also added that Rohit knew him since his early days in the Indian team, which made their working relationship different from the first-time relationship between a coach and a player.
Gambhir believes that this familiarity helps both the individuals understand each other's point of view.
Gambhir: “Rohit knows my thinking”
The India coach also clarified that playing with Rohit makes communication easier.
Gambhir said:
“When you've played together, things become a lot easier. And really, he knows my thinking, I know his thinking.”
This comment provides important information to Gambhir's perspective about their relationship. He doesn't view their relationship solely from the standpoint of coaching responsibilities, but considers their playing history an important part of the equation.
This doesn't mean they always agree. Coaches and players may have different opinions on cricket-related matters, but Gambhir's comments suggest that their long-standing acquaintanceship provides a basis for handling those differences.
Speculation on the relationship between Gambhir and Rohit
The relationship between Gambhir and Rohit has attracted a lot of attention during Gambhir's tenure as India's head coach.
Speculation increased around India's Test struggles and Rohit's retirement from Test cricket in 2025. Gambhir admitted earlier this year that he may have made some mistakes in his first 18 months, while also insisting that his decisions were taken with the interests of the team in mind.
There have been some moments on the field too which have given rise to discussion. During India's third ODI against England in July, Rohit and Gambhir were seen having a lively conversation after Rohit's century. The interaction sparked considerable discussion on social media, although the visuals alone do not establish that there was any kind of disagreement between the two.
Gambhir's latest comments provide his own interpretation of their relationship, and not rely on the ongoing speculation around individual incidents.
Rohit is still an important figure for India
Although Rohit is no longer India's captain, he remains an experienced member of the ODI setup.
The BCCI has also publicly stated that Rohit's appearance at Lord's was not his final ODI for India. BCCI secretary Devjit Saikia had said in July that Rohit remains a regular member of the ODI team. Shubhman Gill Now leading India, but two senior batsmen – Rohit and Virat Kohli Experience remains an important part of the team's composition.