Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India]: Indian team head coach Gautam Gambhir and star batter Virat Kohli recently engaged in a candid conversation, reflecting on their cricketing journeys and past rivalries.
On Wednesday, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) posted a teaser video on their X account. The full interview is set to be released soon on the BCCI’s official website.
The teaser introduces the interview as a “Very Special Interview,” promising viewers an in-depth look into the thoughts of two of cricket’s great minds. The BCCI’s post invites fans to stay tuned for a “never-seen-before freewheeling chat” between the two cricketing legends.
“A Very Special Interview
Stay tuned for a deep insight on how great cricketing minds operate.
Team India’s Head Coach GautamGambhir and Virat Kohli come together in a never-seen-before freewheeling chat.
You do not want to miss this! Shortly on BCCI.TV”
In the short video, Gambhir and Kohli share light moments and exchange praise for each other’s significant innings. The conversation begins with a nostalgic look back at their performances in the 2011 World Cup final. Gambhir then commends Kohli for his outstanding series of 2014-15 in Australia, where Kohli amassed 692 runs in eight innings.
“I remember when you had a bumper series in Australia, where you scored heaps and heaps of runs and that got you into that zone, and for me, it was exactly the same when I played in Napier,” Gambhir said in the video, as per quoted by BCCI.
Gambhir reflected on his innings of 137 off 436 deliveries against New Zealand in Napier, admitting that he could not replicate such a performance. He emphasized that he had never experienced that level of concentration again.
He continued, “If I look back, can I bat for another two and a half days? I don’t think so. I could have ever done that again and I have never been in that zone ever in my life after that. So I can imagine how good that feeling is to be in that zone and I am sure you must have experienced this many more times as compared to what I have.”
Kohli, in turn, asked Gambhir if he ever found himself distracted or motivated by conversations with opponents while batting.
Gambhir responded by saying that Kohli had experienced more altercations than him, leading to a moment of shared laughter between the two.
“You’ve had more altercations than I have,” Gambhir said.
Virat responded, “I am just looking for validation, I am not saying that it’s wrong, I want someone to say ‘yes, that is the right way’ .”
Eventually, Kohli ended the video by putting an end to all the “masala.”