[In Pictures] Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli share a light moment in practice ahead of the IND vs SL ODI Series
Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir shared a laugh during the practice session that was held ahead of the first ODI against Sri Lanka in Colombo. As the Indian team gears up for the ODI series against the Islanders, the picture of Kohli and Gambhir together did rounds on social media.
The former India opener enjoyed a great T20I series as a coach, with a new-look Indian side registering a clean sweep against Sri Lanka, with the final game being won in the Super Over. He has now shifted bases from Pallekele to Colombo and linked up with the Indian team that will take on Sri Lanka in the three ODIs starting on August 2.
Virat Kohli joined the camp on July 29 and had a couple of practice sessions under his belt. The 36-year-old hung up his boots in the shortest format of the game after winning the recently concluded ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 and shifted his focus towards the longer formats. Thus, he was not a part of the team that played the T20Is against Sri Lanka.
Both Gambhir and Kohli met at the practice sessions and had a few things to share. The International Cricket Council (ICC) took to X and shared a few photos from India's practice session:
Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli will be looking to make their mark in the upcoming ODI series
Gautam Gambhir enjoyed great success in the game's shortest format. Earlier this year, he was appointed as the mentor of the Kolkata Knight Riders and he helped the team clinch their third Indian Premier League (IPL) title. He also had a successful outing in his first assignment as a national coach, as India clinched the T20I series 3-0.
The upcoming 50-over series marks Gambhir's first assignment as a coach in ODIs. With very few games in the 50-over format ahead of the Champions Trophy next year, he will look to ensure that the team is on track and can add another piece of silverware to their cabinet in March 2025.
As for Virat Kohli, the star batter will be looking to show to the world that he still has a lot to offer, despite announcing his retirement in T20Is. Kohli had a great run of form in ODIs last year, with the former captain raking up 1377 runs across 27 matches. He also had an eventful Men's ODI World Cup in 2023, scoring 765 runs and winning the Man of the Tournament.
Led by Rohit Sharma, the Indian team will take on Sri Lanka in the three-match ODI series, starting August 2, at R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo.