Virat Kohli has arrived in Sri Lanka ahead of India’s ODI series starting on August 2. The internet is buzzing with excitement about his arrival. Kohli, just a month after India’s T20 World Cup win, reached Sri Lanka for the three-match ODI series. Along with Kohli, captain Rohit Sharma also arrived, following their respective breaks. Rohit spent his time in the United States, while Kohli was on holiday in London with his wife, Anushka Sharma, and their kids, Vamika and Akaay.
India has already won the T20I series with an unbeatable 2-0 lead, and now the focus shifts to the ODIs. This series marks the return of Kohli and Rohit to the ODI format, their first since the 2023 World Cup final. Despite the recent T20 World Cup win, the pain of the November 19 loss in the World Cup final still lingers. However, the upcoming Champions Trophy, a tournament Kohli and Rohit won together in 2013 and nearly won again in 2017, offers new motivation.
Anticipated Kohli-Gambhir Reunion
One of the most anticipated aspects of the ODI series is the reunion of Kohli and Gautam Gambhir. The former teammates and current IPL rivals seem to have moved past their public spat from last year. Initially, Kohli was supposed to skip the Sri Lanka tour but decided to join, knowing it was Gambhir’s first series as India’s coach. Kohli and Rohit were scheduled for their first practice session on Monday, but rain disrupted their plans, delaying their much-anticipated training session.
Gambhir’s Role and the Upcoming Matches
Gambhir is currently with the T20I team in Pallekele, while Rohit and Kohli are in Colombo, where the ODIs will be played on August 2, 4, and 7. According to a Cricbuzz report, assistant coach Abhishek Nayar will oversee Kohli and Rohit’s practice sessions at the R Premadasa Stadium. Although Kohli and Gambhir won’t meet immediately, their reunion is inevitable.
When Kohli and Gambhir finally reunite, it will be their first time as a team for India since 2016. Gambhir last played for India in a Test series against England, under Kohli’s captaincy, where Kohli scored 655 runs and won the Player of the Series award. Their relationship dates back to playing Ranji Trophy matches for Delhi, and they were teammates when India won the 2011 World Cup. As Gambhir’s career started to decline around 2012-2013, Kohli’s career took off. Twelve years later, Kohli’s career is still thriving. With more tournaments like the Champions Trophy and the World Test Championship ahead, Kohli remains motivated to achieve more for India.
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Source: HT
