The long-standing speculation about Gautam Gambhir’s relationships with MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli has been met with clarity by Gambhir’s childhood coach, Sanjay Bharadwaj. In an interview on The Raunac Podcast, Bharadwaj addressed the rumors that Gambhir harbors personal animosity towards Dhoni and Kohli, saying, “Gautam has never disliked anyone. He only likes or dislikes certain acts, never a person.”
Gambhir’s public persona as a passionate and headstrong cricketer, both on and off the field, has led to misunderstandings. Despite the tensions, notably between Gambhir and Kohli during the IPL 2013 confrontation and again in IPL 2023 involving Naveen Ul Haq, Bharadwaj emphasized that these conflicts were not personal. He clarified that Gambhir’s primary focus has always been the team, explaining that his loyalty is to his teammates, and any disputes that arose were grounded in on-field issues.
Regarding his equation with MS Dhoni, Bharadwaj revealed that while Gambhir and Dhoni shared a close bond as roommates during the 2004 India A Series, their relationship is not clouded by personal issues. The coach explained that Gambhir’s behavior is never driven by grudge but by a deep sense of responsibility to his team, with no room for favoritism.
Bharadwaj further elaborated that Gambhir treats his team as family, prioritizing the collective over individual relationships. He noted that Gambhir’s reactions are always in defense of his team, stating, “If anyone says anything to a player like Naveen, for Gautam, it doesn’t matter whether it’s Kohli or anyone else.”
As India’s head coach now, Gambhir has apparently put the past behind, and his interactions with Kohli reflect a more amicable equation, debunking the myth of an ongoing feud.
