Did Virat Kohli ignore Gautam Gambhir? Awkward post-match exchange triggers rift rumours online
The post-match clip from the 3rd ODI-South Africa match went viral, showing Virat Kohli warmly greeting his teammates but only making a formal gesture with head coach Gautam Gambhir. Fans are debating whether this was a standoffish stance or an over-interpreted moment after India’s victory.
India defeated South Africa 2-1 in the three-match ODI series and sealed the deal with a dominant 9-wicket win in the decider match in Visakhapatnam on Saturday. The Proteas set a target of 271 runs and the Men in Blue successfully chased it down in just 39.5 overs. While Yashasvi Jaiswal was the star of the show by scoring a magnificent century, Rohit Sharma (75 off 73) and Virat Kohli (65 off 45*) also made significant contributions in the chase.
After the match, Kohli hugged his teammates but fans noticed a sharp contrast in his body language when he faced head coach Gautam Gambhir. Kohli’s behavior immediately after receiving the Player of the Match award sparked controversy. As he climbed the stairs of the dressing room, the camera caught him ignoring Gambhir, who was in the room. Kohli, who was engrossed in his phone, walked past the head coach without giving him permission.
The right-handed batsman started the series with an impressive century in Ranchi, followed it up with another in Raipur and capped the series with a blistering half-century.
Gautam Gambhir didn’t hug Kohli after India won the Odi series..#Kohli #ViratKohli #gautamgambhir #GautamGambhir #IndvSa pic.twitter.com/FCiorF9lAz
— Vishal Kumar (@VishalSports123) December 6, 2025
India secured victory in the first match, but South Africa made a strong comeback in the second match and successfully chased down the 359-run target to level the series at 1-1. Ultimately, the Men in Blue secured a resounding 9-wicket victory in the last ODI. Although Team India faced defeat in the Test series, they prevailed in the ODIs and will now face South Africa in the five-match T20I series.
Reiterating his views on ODI selections for the 2027 World Cup, Gambhir emphasized that the prestigious event is still two years away and it is too early to decide whether Kohli and Rohit will be included in the squad. The head coach explained that players like Ruturaj Gaikwad, Yashasvi Jaiswal and other young talents need more experience so that they can be an integral part of the team’s ODI plans. Gambhir aims to provide them with more opportunities to hone their skills as the ODI World Cup approaches.
“First of all, you have to understand that the ODI World Cup is two years away. It is important to stay in the present and it is important for the young men coming into the setup to seize the opportunities,” Gambhir said at the press conference.
“Someone like Rutu (Gaikwad) has been out of position but he is a quality player. We wanted to give him an opportunity in this series because of his form with India A. And when we were under pressure, he grabbed that opportunity with both hands. Getting a hundred like that was decent quality. And we have seen how quality Yashasvi is too, especially in Test cricket. This is just the beginning of his career, especially in White-ball cricket, he has a big future ahead of him and so does Rutu,” he said about the young guns.
Also read| ‘Stay in the moment…’: Gautam Gambhir avoids naming Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in 2027 ODI World Cup plans
