Head coach of India Gautam Gambhir left the decision on the skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s Test future solely in their hands after the conclusion of the 20204-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. The 43-year-old said the two senior batsmen will accept the call-up in the best interest of the team.
Like the previous comments after failing against New Zealand in the domestic testsGambhir said the duo still has the hunger and passion to deliver for the Men in Blue.
The remarks came after India lost the fifth Test in Sydney by six wickets against Australia, losing the series 1-3 Down Under. This was India’s first series defeat in Australia since the 2014-15 series.
Gambhir told reporters after the fifth Test (via Hindustan Times):
“I can’t speak about the future of any player. It’s up to them. But yes, what I can say is that they still have the hunger, they still have the passion. They are tough people and hopefully they can continue to take Indian cricket forward. But ultimately, as we all know, whatever they plan, they will plan in the best interest of Indian cricket.”
He added that no preferential treatment is offered for playing regardless of whether one has played more than 100 Tests.
“My job is to be honest with everyone. It’s not that I favor only a few players. But my job is to see every player on the same page whether they’re making their debut or have played 100 test matches. We have to be fair to everyone.”
How Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli Performed in BGT 2024-25 Tests
India captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli failed to bat for India in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Rohit managed just 31 runs in five innings despite playing both as a middle-order player and an opener, averaging 6.2 before retiring in the fifth Test.
In his last 15 Test innings, he managed to score 164 runs at an average of 10.93, making a half-century.
On the other hand, Virat Kohli has looked out of sorts apart from his unbeaten 100 in the first series in Perth. In all, he managed just 190 runs in nine innings at an average of 23.75. The right-handed batsman continued to get out in similar fashion as he drove 8/8 times in a row outside the drum canal.
In his last 15 Test innings, he managed to score 359 runs at an average of 27.61, including one century and fifty.
Edited by Vaishnavi Iyer
