Past England captains, present England selectors, they were the most prolific batsmen (and eaters) of their generation, whose regimented professionalism shaped the way the game was approached in this country (quite apart from their phenomenal impact on the field, without them the tea interval would probably be no more).
Now, having guided England A through an exemplary start to their tour in Kenya, they are escorting their young charges to Sri Lanka for three Tests and three one-day international matches.
It might sound like nothing more than a jolly for two veterans with a combined total of 197 Test appearances, but, stung by England's mediocre status, they take their respective roles of manager and coach very seriously. Only last week in Nairobi, Gooch passed up the chance of a relaxing round of golf with the team to deliberate with Kenyan administrators over the result of rain-affected one-day internationals and ensure no further misunderstandings.
He delivers warm, amusing speeches at official functions, deals agreeably with all the other protocol, and even hangs around after matches to take down the England flag and supervise the loading of the players' kit into an open-top truck.
Gatting beat the drum early every morning in Kenya, getting the stragglers out on to the ground, instigating fierce fielding drills and ensuring net practice was hard and focused rather than vague and lethargic, as county net sessions so often are.
Discipline is the watchword, and whingers are quickly silenced. But silence is not the order of the day. Conscious that cricketers today do not talk as much about their sport as those of yesterday, with a consequent loss of received wisdom, Gooch and Gatting eagerly regale anyone interested with funny, salient cricket stories, encouraging the players to do the same.
Gatting said: ``During the course of the tour we're going to take each member of the party out for dinner individually, so everyone gets a voice. We've got to get cricket dialogue going again.'' They know discussion is a fast track to development.
The players revel in Gatting and Gooch's company because of their knowledge and experience and their amusing jousts during impromptu football matches or in the gym. In that slightly thin, laconic voice, Gooch addresses Gatting as 'Pie' (after Pork Pie) attempting to drive him to hitherto unattained levels of fitness (at Gatting's request to maximise his chances of scoring the seven centuries he needs next summer to reach 100 hundreds.)
``Come on Pie, just five more sit-ups,'' Gooch urges, cackling, ``and you won't have to stoop to playing against the universities for those runs.''
``I'm trying, Zap, I'm trying,'' Gatting retorts, his face puce and contorted in agony. ``That's a bit rich anyway. I've only got three tons against the universities, you've got about 12.'' Gooch nods deferentially.
Zap, short for Zapata, is a less appropriate nickname now he has shaved off his Mexican moustache. He trains hard too, aware that he only has to look at a doughnut to put on weight.
He said: ``Neither of us is too effective in our oldies versus youngies soccer matches - out here we can't even get close enough to chop anyone down.''
Afterwards in a fish restaurant Gatting eyes a huge seafood platter with the same excitement a small boy might a new bike. Ten minutes later there is not a bone or prawn tail in sight.
Gooch said sympathetically: ``I've told him, fitness is the key to playing after 40, but he can't help it, he's just insatiable.''
He laughed at a suggestion that the team had seen no animals on an afternoon safari because during lunch at Carnivore - a place serving ostrich, zebra, wildebeest and the like - Gatting had eaten them all.
These are determined, single-minded men now, devoting their mental and physical energies primarily towards the next generation.
Young English players are visibly galvanised by their presence, following their example, hanging on their every word, but connect with them too, as if they were mates. If Zap 'n Pie cannot spice up the soup of English cricket, no one can.