Gautam Gambhir Discusses Future of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in International Cricket
Future of Indian Batting Legends
Gautam Gambhir, the head coach of Team India, has shared insights regarding the future of two prominent Indian batsmen, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, in the realm of international cricket. Currently, both players are participating in the IPL 2025, representing Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, respectively.
Following the IPL season, Kohli and Rohit are set to return to international play as Team India prepares for a five-match Test series against England, commencing on June 20. However, there has been considerable speculation about their roles in Test cricket, particularly after their underwhelming performances in the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Performance Analysis
Kohli started the Test series in Australia strongly, scoring a century in Perth, but struggled to maintain his form, finishing with only 190 runs at an average of 23.75 over nine innings. In contrast, Rohit had a challenging series, accumulating just 31 runs at a disappointing average of 6.2 across five innings. Due to his poor performance, Rohit opted out of the final match in Sydney, passing the captaincy to Jasprit Bumrah.
Gambhir's Support for Kohli and Rohit
During the ABP News' 'India At 2047' Summit, Gambhir addressed questions regarding the Test futures of Kohli and Rohit. He emphasized that both players should remain in the team as long as they continue to perform, asserting that decisions about retirement should be left to the players themselves.
"As long as they (Rohit and Kohli) are delivering results, they deserve a spot on the team. The timing of their retirement is a personal choice," Gambhir remarked.
"No coach, selector, or BCCI official can dictate when a player should retire. If they are performing well, they can play until 45 if they wish," he added.
Current Ages and Recent Performances
At 36 and 38 years old, Kohli and Rohit have faced scrutiny regarding their Test performances. However, Gambhir's strong endorsement indicates that performance remains the key criterion for selection, rather than age. Both players showcased their skills during India's Champions Trophy victory in March, with Kohli being the second-highest run-scorer for India with 218 runs, including a century against Pakistan, while Rohit contributed 180 runs, highlighted by a 76-run innings in the final against New Zealand.
Selection for the England Tour
As IPL 2025 unfolds, attention turns to the squad selection for the upcoming England Test series, which the BCCI is expected to announce in the second week of May. Gambhir clarified that team selection is the responsibility of the selectors, not the coach.
"The coach's role is not to select the team; that falls to the selectors. My job is to choose the eleven players for each match. Previous coaches were not selectors, and neither am I," he stated.
After suffering two consecutive Test series losses to New Zealand and Australia, Team India aims to make a strong comeback in the five-match series against England, a significant challenge as they have not won a Test series in England since 2007.
Leadership Dynamics
Rohit Sharma has expressed his intention to lead Team India during the England Test tour, although this has yet to be confirmed. There may be a shift in vice-captaincy, with Shubman Gill being groomed for future leadership roles, potentially starting as vice-captain for the England series. Jasprit Bumrah is unlikely to take on any leadership duties due to ongoing workload management issues and past injuries.