"I think both those guys have got a lot of cricket left in them" - Gambhir hopes Virat and Rohit stick around for as long as possible in Indian colors
Gautam Gambhir addressed the media for the first time since his official appointment as Team India's head coach. The Men in Blue are set to depart for Sri Lanka for a white-ball tour on Monday, July 22, marking the start of Gambhir's reign.
The new coach tackled a wide array of questions during the press meet and was inevitably asked about the futures of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in ODIs and Tests. The legendary duo recently retired from T20Is after India's triumph at the 2024 T20 World Cup.
The pair were originally not expected to play the ODI series against Sri Lanka, but with only a handful of 50-over clashes in the build-up to the 2025 Champions Trophy, they made themselves available.
With a slew of important international assignments and ICC events on the horizon, Gambhir hopes that the senior pair remain associated with the team as long as possible, with fitness also being a major factor.
"I think they've shown what they can deliver on the big stage whether it was the T20 World Cup and in the 50 over World cup as well. I think both those guys have got a lot of cricket left in them and more importantly with the Champions Trophy and a big tour of Australia, obviously they would be motivated enough and then hopefully they can keep their fitness till the 2027 World Cup as well," Gambhir said in a press conference in Mumbai.
"This is a very personal decision. I can't say how much cricket is left in them. Ultimately it's up to them as well. It's up to the players how much can they contribute to the team's success because ultimately it's the team that is important. But looking at what Virat and Rohit can deliver, I think they still have a lot of cricket and they're still world-class players and obviously any team would want to have both of them for as long as possible," he added.
Gambhir also remarked that since Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are not part of the T20I setup, and the fact that they are batters, they are not expected to be subjected to workload management as much as all-format bowlers. As a result, he expects the pair to be available for selection, more often than not.
"My relationship with Virat Kohli is not for TRP" - Gautam Gambhir
One of the initial concerns that crept up when Gautam Gambhir's name was linked with the head coach role was his friction with Virat Kohli. Although the duo seemingly buried the hatchet in the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season, there are enough scars from the past.
However, according to a recent report, Kohli conveyed to the management that his altercations with Gambhir in the past would not affect their working together by any means. Gambhir has also aligned in the same direction, asserting that his and Kohli's focus is only on Indian cricket.
"My relationship with Virat Kohli is not for TRP. At the moment, we are representing India, we are representing 140 crore Indians. We have an excellent relationship with him off the field. But, it's not for the public. It's not important how many chats I've had with him during or after the game. He is a thorough professional, a world class athlete, and hopefully he will continue that way," Gambhir said in the same press conference.
Team India's tour of Sri Lanka will kickstart with the T20I series on Saturday, July 27.