India head coach Gautam Gambhir finally addressed the growing discussion around Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s future with the national team following India’s ODI series win over South Africa. Gambhir underlined the importance of their experience in the Indian dressing room and expressed hope that the senior duo would continue delivering for the team in the 50 over format.
India sealed the three match ODI series 2 to 1 with a commanding nine wicket victory over South Africa in Vizag. After the series clincher, Gambhir lauded both Kohli and Rohit for doing what they have consistently done over the years. He stressed that their contributions remain crucial in white ball cricket, particularly in the ODI format. The Indian head coach’s remarks are likely to ease concerns among a section of fans who were worried about reports of tension within the men’s dressing room. In recent weeks, speculation had suggested a breakdown in communication between Gambhir, Kohli and Rohit, especially after the veteran batters transitioned into single format players for India.
Speaking at the post match press conference, Gambhir said, “They (Ro-Ko) are quality players. They are world class players in the format. Their experience is important in the dressing room. They are quality players in the format. They are doing what they do. They have been doing it for a long time. Hopefully, they can continue doing the same, which is always going to be important come the white ball format and the 50-over format.”
Kohli and Rohit have continued their impressive run as they look to remain central figures in India’s plans for the 2027 ODI World Cup, despite both being close to 40 by that time. While such longevity might seem to challenge Gambhir’s reputation for tough selection calls, performances from the two stalwarts have left selectors with little room for doubt.
Rohit Sharma was named Player of the Series against Australia last month, while Virat Kohli earned the same honour against South Africa. Kohli scored more than 300 runs in the series, which included two centuries, reinforcing his standing as a pillar of India’s ODI setup.
Gambhir also took a moment to applaud the impact made by young batters Ruturaj Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal. Both players were drafted into the squad as injury replacements, Gaikwad for Shubman Gill and Jaiswal for Shreyas Iyer, and both went on to score centuries during the series.
Reflecting on Gaikwad’s contribution, Gambhir said, “Someone like Rutu, who’s batted out of possession, but he’s a quality player, we all know. But we wanted to give him an opportunity in this series, because the kind of form he was in with India ‘A’. And he actually grabbed that opportunity with both hands, getting a 100 in the second game when we were under pressure. We were 40 for 2, then getting that kind of 100 was proper quality.”
He added praise for Jaiswal as well, highlighting the young batter’s potential across formats. “And Yashasvi as well, we’ve seen how much quality he has, especially what he does in Test cricket. And obviously, it’s just the start of his career, especially in white ball cricket. Hopefully, he has a massive future ahead, and so does Rutu,” Gambhir concluded
