Gautam Gambhir visibly frustrated as footage of animated dressing room discussion during AUS clash surfaces

Virat Kohli has rightfully earned the title of the 'chase master,' a nickname previously associated with the iconic Sachin Tendulkar, who still holds the record for the most successful run chases in ODI history. During the Champions Trophy semifinal against Australia in Dubai, Kohli showcased his exceptional skill by scoring a crucial half-century in India's pursuit of 264. However, despite his valiant efforts, he missed out on the opportunity to convert it into a century and lead India to victory. This missed chance left head coach Gautam Gambhir visibly frustrated with Kohli's performance.

Kohli helped India bounce back from a shaky start that saw the team reduced to 43 for 2 in the eighth over. He stitched an 89-run stand for the third wicket alongside Shreyas Iyer, added 44 more to the board alongside No. 5 Axar Patel, and added 47 extra with KL Rahul for the fifth wicket.

En route to the three crucial partnerships, Kohli scored his 24th fifty-plus score in ICC ODI tournaments in 53 innings, overtaking Sachin (23 in 58 innings) to add another feather to his hat. He also became the first player ever to reach the milestone of 1000 runs in knockout matches across all ICC competitions.

Kohli's next big target was taking India past the finish line, which could have seen him get a second century in the Champions Trophy, more than a week after his maiden, which came against Pakistan at the same venue. But against a flighted googly from Adam Zampa, Kohli decided to go for the big one over cow corner. However, the shot came off the bottom part of the bat as the ball travelled straight towards the fielder at long-on.

Not only was KL Rahul annoyed with Kohli, but Gambhir was also spotted expressing his frustration at the 36-year-old throwing away his wicket. "Maar toh raha tha woh (KL Rahul was already hitting)" - Gambhir was spotted saying in one of the videos that went viral on social media.

Later, the camera showed Gambhir having an animated chat with Kohli in the dressing room, making gestures with his hand showing the shot on which the former India captain got out.

Gambhir hails 'phenomenal' Kohli

Despite what happened in the dressing room, Gambhir praised Kohli in the post-match press conference, saying he knows how to plan his runs and adapt to conditions quickly.

He said: "He is a phenomenal one-day cricketer. He knows how to plan his runs, he knows how to plan, whether he is batting first or chasing and he knows that he adapts to the conditions really quickly and that is why experience and high-quality players are very important and it is the reason why he has got that kind of record in one day cricket and I hope he continues to do that in the future as well."

ICC Champions Trophy , ICC Champions Trophy Schedule , and Champions Trophy 2025 Points Table – stay ahead with real-time match updates, team standings, and insights. Check live cricket score , player stats, and ICC rankings of top players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli . Get expert analysis, match previews, and in-depth coverage of ICC CT 2025, IPL 2025 Schedule and IPL 2025, all on HT Crickit, powered by Hindustan Times – your trusted source for cricket news along with India vs New Zealand Live Score. .freemium-card h4{color:#fff; padding-bottom:20px;} .freemium-card .freemium-content .subcTxt{padding-bottom:16px; color:#fff;} .freemium-card .freemium-content{width: auto; max-width: inherit;} .freemium-card .freemium-content .subcTxt{max-width:inherit; font-size:18px; padding-top:0; line-height:24px} .freemium-card .btnSubc{margin} .freemium-card .btnSubc a{background:#000; color:#fff; min-width:auto; padding:5px 15px; border-radius:6px; font-size:16px; line-height:22px; font-weight:700;} .freemium-card{height:285px} @media (max-width: 767px) { .freemium-card h4{font-size:28px} .freemium-card .freemium-content{max-width:360px; padding: 20px;} .freemium-card{height:303px; background-position: 100% 0; } }