Ravi Shastri denies alleged rift between Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, calls it "absolute nonsense"

What's the story?

Indian national team coach Ravi Shastri has dismissed the news of a rift between Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. According to Shastri, a difference of opinion should not be misconstrued as conflict.

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In case you didn't know...

Stories about the rift between two of most celebrated Indian cricketers Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been doing the rounds for quite some time now. While the Indian team has reiterated multiple times that everything is good in the Indian camp, the whole Kohli-Rohit saga refuses to end.

The heart of the matter

When asked about the alleged rift between the star players, Ravi Shastri called the whole thing 'absolute nonsense'.

Talking to Gulf News, the Indian coach said:

"Listen, I have been around the dressing room for the last five years. I have seen how the boys have played and how they have complemented the team and know their work ethics. I feel it is absolute nonsense. I have been there with them and I know the way they play. If that was the case why would Rohit get five hundreds in the World Cup? Why would Virat do what he is doing? How would they have partnerships together?"

The former India captain also felt that there is bound to be a difference of opinion in the team and it is actually healthy for the team. Shastri added:

"In a side when you have 15 players there will always be times when there will be opinions that will be different. That is what is needed. I don’t want everyone toeing the same line. You have got to have discussions and someone might then think of a fresh strategy which has to be encouraged. So you have to give the guys the opportunity to express themselves and then decide what is best.

Sometimes it might be the junior-most player in the team who may come up with a strategy which we hadn’t even thought of and we need to bring that to the table. So these should not be seen as a conflict."