‘I must have made mistakes’: Gambhir opens up on Rohit, Kohli equation

Gautam Gambhir, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli

Indian men’s cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir has indicated that he may not have handled some aspects of his relationship with senior players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the best way during his tenure. Kohli and Rohit retired from Test cricket during the first season of Gambhir’s tenure after India’s disastrous campaign in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.Speaking at the RevSportz Conclave in Kolkata, Gambhir was asked about reports and media discussions around his relationship with the two senior players. There have been suggestions in recent months that the equation between them had turned difficult.Gambhir did not address the issue directly but said he may have made mistakes. He also said that making mistakes is part of being human and that his decisions were taken with the right intent.

In his time with the Indian team, Gambhir has often been in the news since taking charge in July 2024. His tenure has included criticism over India’s results in Test cricket and reports about differences with Kohli and Rohit. At the same time, India won the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025 and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2026 under his coaching. The team also won the Asia Cup last year.At the event, Gambhir was also asked about a post in which he suggested that some people were trying to create divisions between him and the players. The question referred to speculation about his relationship with Kohli and Rohit, including claims that he wanted them out of the side.Responding to the question, Gambhir said mistakes are part of the job.“I’m a human. I should be allowed to make mistakes. Just like anyone else, a player should be allowed to make mistakes. I must have made mistakes in the last 18 months. I don’t shy away from that, but I’ve always believed in one thing. Wrong decision with right intent is acceptable, but wrong decision with wrong intent is not in that dressing room,” he said.The discussion about Gambhir’s relationship with Kohli and Rohit increased after the two players announced their retirement from Test cricket. Both Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar have faced criticism from some sections, although there has been no confirmation that the players were pushed out of the format.Gambhir said he focuses on doing his job honestly and maintaining clear communication with the players.“Till the time I am doing everything with honesty, till the time I can be honest with everyone in that dressing room, I can look into their eyes and talk to them, I think I am doing a fair job with my position. That is something I can live with. I don’t need to clarify anything and everything that appears on social media,” added the head coach.