Miffed Virat Kohli ‘unwilling to play’ at coach Gambhir’s mercy

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Virat Kohli’s decision to step away from Test cricket is believed to have been driven, in part, by his inability to align with India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir, sources told CricBlogger. The treatment of senior player Rohit Sharma during the Australia tour reportedly didn’t sit well with Kohli, and matters escalated when Gambhir allegedly offered him the Test captaincy — only for chief selector Ajit Agarkar to approach him minutes later with questions about his future plans.

This sequence of events is said to have left a sour taste in Kohli’s mouth. Sources further revealed that Kohli did not want to be perceived as playing at Gambhir’s mercy, and he is unwilling to tolerate what he views as disrespect from the current team management.

A senior BCCI functionary told CricBlogger that while the board may attempt to intervene and broker a truce, convincing Kohli to stay on for the England Test series appears challenging. The selectors are also uncertain about the stability of India’s middle-order in Kohli’s absence, particularly in English conditions. As a result, the BCCI has formally requested Kohli to reconsider his decision to step away from Test cricket.

While some critics had begun speculating about when Kohli might retire from Test cricket — suggesting the England series would be his acid test — he ultimately chose to step away on his own terms.

The bigger question, however, is how Kohli plans to navigate his dynamic with Gambhir when he returns for ODI duties — especially with Rohit Sharma likely to be part of the setup as well. With both senior players sharing a strong rapport, their presence together could test the atmosphere in the dressing room under Gambhir’s leadership.

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