The cricket world in India is buzzing with rumors of internal discord. The latest move made by Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) toreplacing one mediator with a different mediator in a bid to calm tensionsjust added more fuel to the fire. The original plan was to have an event to facilitate a meeting with the chief selection officer Ajit Agarkar is now adjusted by Pragyan Ojha being brought in to take over the role of mediator. This shift indicates the severity of the situation.
A Mediation Plan, Then a Sudden Switch
According to reports from the past, Agarkar was scheduled to meet Virat Kohli prior to the second ODI of Raipur as in the current India series against South Africa series — to discuss the tension between Kohli and the head coach Gambhir.
However, just before the meeting could take place, BCCI altered its plan. The board was of the opinion it was this “situation was not good,” and instead, assigned a second selection officer, Pragyan Ojha, to be mediator.
This is significantthe use of another mediator implies that the board was of the opinion that the initial option might not be able to manage the sensitive areas adequately, or that tensions had risen beyond the initial expectations.
Videos, Body Language — More Questions Than Answers
Quickly, videos started appearing on social media, documenting images of the flight or in the hotel of the team that some saw as a sign of growing tension.
A specific clip depicts Kohli in what seems as an “intense chat” with Ojha. Another shows Ojha talking to a older player Rohit Sharma. Gambhir is nearbynot surprisingly, Kohli is absent from the exchange.
These pictures — subdued but telling been a catalyst for concerns about a breakdown in communication within the Indian dressing room. Although this doesn’t prove anything, the visuals do not help, and it only reinforces the idea of a widening divide between senior athletes and coaches staff.
What Sparked the Friction — and Why the Board Is Worried
The rift is believed to date back to the recent series results and selection issues, specifically with regard to the red ball (Test) form. In the time of Gambhir’s reign as the manager this Indian test team been struggling, prompting journalists and fans to doubt the approach of the management.
On the field of white ball the two players Kohli along with Rohit have demonstrated that they’re fit and efficient and raising questions as to whether the problem is due to shape or something that is more structural or personal.
The BCCI, as per insiders, is concerned about the way that off-field issues could cause problems for on-field unity. With the next major events (T20 World Cup, and 2027 ODI World Cup) around the close by, a damaged dressing room could hinder the chances of India.
To address this issue, the board was reported to have called for an emergency internal meetingthat included Gambhir, Agarkar and other important officials to discuss the long-term consistency of selection as well as team culture and the planning of performance.
The Significance of Ojha’s Appointment
The decision to select Pragyan Ojha mediator in place of Agarkar isn’t random. This calendar year (September 2025), Ojha had already been appointed to BCCI’s men’s selection panel along with Agarkar.
This prior involvement could have provided him with the institutional credibility and neutrality necessary to deal with such a delicate situation. The board may be relying on his distance from any tensionsin both the player as well as coaches — to facilitate a re-set of the flow of communication.
But this alone could not suffice. According to reports, despite the intervention of Ojha, players such as Kohli and Rohit thought mediation was unneeded, particularly given their recent success playing white-ball.
If the mediation is unsuccessful (or it is believed to be failing). It could lead to greater structural or selection turmoil within Indian cricket, something that the BCCI will likely want to avoid as the global tournaments get closer.
What Lies Ahead: Risks, Repercussions — and What Fans Should Watch
The immediate objective is likely to be to control damage by smoothing relationships, reestablishing communication as well as avoiding any conflict from impacting the performance of the team at the game. Beyond this the stakes are much higher:
- If the mediation is successful and, more important, if relationships are actually repaired It could help restore the sense of unity and clarity about the roles of each team member, which is crucial when big tournaments are coming up.
- If the plan fails the consequences could be grave: a stressed senior-junior hierarchy as well as a potential review of the roles played by senior players and the credibility of the setup for coaching and selection.
- Even if nothing significant is happening publicly, ongoing tension could cause a loss of trust within teams — something that’s not evident, but can be extremely damaging in the long run.
For the pundits and fans alike. The most important things to be watching during the next few weeks will be how the interaction between seniors and Gambhir changes as well as how long Ojha continues to facilitate or is cut off or is unable to mediate, and how the BCCI organizes any more gatherings that involve players and managers.