Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retirement questions for players to answer, says India coach Gautam Gambhir
Published 05/01/2025 at 16:54 GMT
India slipped to defeat to Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground in the fifth Test to relinquish their grip on the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time since 2015. Questions are being asked about the futures of Virat Kohli and Test captain Rohit Sharma. Watch and stream England men's 2025 white-ball tour of India - five T20s and three ODIs - live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
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Gautam Gambhir has insisted that any decision about the retirements of Virat Kohli and Test captain Rohit Sharma will be made by the players.
India’s thoughts are turning to their home white-ball series with England, live on TNT Sports and discovery+, with the dust only starting to settle on their loss of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to Australia for the first time since 2015.
Sharma and Kohli are players in the spotlight after their lean returns in the five-Test series in Australia.
Kohli made a century in first match in Perth, but his returns in the other four Tests were 7, 11, 3, 36, 54, 17 and 6 for a series average of 23.75.
Sharma missed the first Test, which India won, but contributed little with the bat in matches two, three and four - and elected to drop himself from the fifth Test.
On the back of the series defeat, questions will be asked about two players well into their 30s who have had lean times with the bat.
Kohli’s weakness outside off stump was ruthlessly exposed by Australia’s pacers, and will be a blueprint for others to follow.
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India coach Gambhir was asked about the future of the pair in Test cricket following the loss at the Sydney Cricket Ground, but said it is a question that should be directed at Kohli and Sharma.
"I can't talk about the future of any player," Gambhir said. "It's up to them as well.
"What I can say is that they still have the hunger. They still have the passion. They're tough people. And hopefully they can continue to take Indian cricket forward.
"Ultimately, as we all know, that whatever they plan, they will plan for the best interest of Indian cricket."
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Gambhir suggested hunger for the fight would be a deciding factor as to whether any player continued to be selected for India.
"First of all, every individual knows where their game and hunger is," Gambhir said. "That's the most important thing for any sport and any profession. It's not just about the sport.
"It's about how hungry you are, how passionate you are, and whether the team is moving forward with your contribution or not. Because ultimately, it's neither my team, nor your team, it's the country's team.
"I believe, as I said, there are very honest players in our dressing room who know how hungry they are.
"My biggest responsibility is that I have to be fair to everyone in that room. Not only one or two individuals. If I'm fair to only two or three individuals, and not to everyone else, then I'm being dishonest to my job.
"So whether it's a player who hasn't debuted yet, or a player who has played 100 Test matches, my simple goal in my job is that I have to be absolutely fair and equal to everyone."
England's series with India comprises of five T20s and three ODIs, getting underway on January 22 and concluding on February 12.
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Watch and stream England men's 2025 white-ball tour of India live on TNT Sports and discovery+
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