(MENAFN- AsiaNet News) India's newly-appointed head coach Gautam Gambhir stated on Monday that his relationship with star batsman Virat Kohli "is between the two of us and not for TRPs." Although Gambhir and Kohli have had their share of confrontations in the IPL, they will now be collaborating, beginning with the T20 and ODI tour of Sri Lanka starting on July 27.
"It's good for the TRP but my relationship is not public. What kind of relationship I do share with Virat Kohli, I think it's between two mature individuals. I've said it many times, everyone has the right to fight for their own team, for their own jersey and want to come back in a winning dressing room. But at the moment I think we're representing India and representing 140 crore Indians and I'm sure we're going to be on the same page and try and make India proud," Gambhir said.
"I share a very good relationship in the field and we'll continue to do that. He's a thorough professional and a world-class athlete, a world-class player. I've a huge respect for him as a player and it's going to continue and hopefully, we can work together really well," India's new coach added.
With seniors Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retiring from T20 Internationals, the management of Jasprit Bumrah's workload becomes even more crucial, according to Gautam Gambhir. Rohit and Kohli announced their retirement from the shortest format following India's T20 World Cup victory last month.
"Workload for someone like Jasprit Bumrah is important.
Now that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will play only two formats, I expect them to be available for most games," Gambhir said.
Top quotes from Gambhir's first press conference as India's head coach:
"I'm taking over a very, very successful team. A T20 world champion. Runner-up in the World Test Championship and runner-up in the ODI World Cup. It's not that it's not a successful team. I have big shoes to fill."
"I think important is to give players the freedom, that's what I absolutely believe in and not having a relationship which is of a head coach and a player. I think for me, the best relationship is a relationship which is built on trust and that is going to be very important. I can promise guys that they will always have my back. I've always said that a happy dressing room is a winning dressing. That's my responsibility alongside the entire support staff to make it a happy and secure dressing room. I don't complicate too many things and neither do I want to complicate."
On Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, Indian Men's cricket team head coach, Gautam Gambhir says, "I think they've shown what they can deliver on the big stage whether it was the T20 World Cup and in the 50 over World cup as well. I think both those guys have got a lot of cricket left in them and more importantly with the Champions Trophy and a big tour of Australia, obviously they would be motivated enough and then hopefully they can keep their fitness till the 2027 World Cup as well."
"This is a very personal decision. I can't say how much cricket is left in them. Ultimately it's up to them as well. It's up to the players how much can they contribute to the team's success because ultimately it's the team that is important. But looking at what Virat and Rohit can deliver, I think they still have a lot of cricket and they're still world-class players and obviously any team would want to have both of them for as long as possible."
"The betterment of Indian cricket is more important, Gautam Gambhir is not important. All of us have a heart in the right place and all of us think that Indian cricket needs to move forward."
"I've got a fabulous relationship with him (Jay Shah). We go a long way back and all these speculations about different things, we've been on different pages. I think we can do a better job from probably clarifying those things. It's been a great relationship. Hopefully, it continues that way because the betterment of Indian cricket is more important, Gautam Gambhir is not important."
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