Gautam Gambhir on Kohli Rohit Retirement: India’s head coach, Gautam Gambhir, has spoken for the first time about the retirement of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
Ahead of India’s England tour, starting on June 20, 2025, he called their exit a personal choice and said that no selector or coach had any role in it.
In this article, we share Gambhir’s views and the impact of their retirement. Let’s start the article.
Gautam Gambhir on Kohli Rohit Retirement : Respects Players’ Personal Choice
Gautam Gambhir told CNN News18 that no one, whether a coach, selector, or anyone in India, has the right to tell a player when to retire. It’s their own call.
He said when a player feels from within that it’s time to retire, they do, and he respects the choice of Kohli and Sharma.
Both announced their Test retirement earlier because their performance in the Australia Border-Gavaskar Trophy was tough. Gambhir’s statement shuts down rumours of their forced exit.
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Rohit and Kohli’s Test Legacy
Rohit Sharma, aged 38, played 67 Test matches and scored 4,301 runs. Virat Kohli, aged 36, played 123 Test matches and scored 9,230 runs, including 30 centuries.
Their exit leaves a big gap in India’s batting and leadership, especially since Ravichandran Ashwin has also retired. Kohli led India to 40 Test match wins as captain, the most by any Indian captain.
Opportunity for Young Players
Gautam Gambhir admitted the team will miss their experience, but this is a great chance for young players like Shubman Gill, who could become the new Test captain. He has a big opportunity to shine.
In India’s five-Test England series, we will see the new squad tested. Gautam Gambhir also believes that without Jasprit Bumrah, India won the Champions Trophy, so they know the team can adapt.
