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Alongside Kohli and Rohit, Gautam Gambhir is also set to survive the 3-1 series defeat in Australia.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. (Picture Credit: BCCI)
Indian captain Rohit Sharma, senior batter Virat Kohli and head coach Gautam Gambhir will reportedly survive the series defeat in Australia in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
According to an IANS report, Gambhir is likely to continue as the head coach for not just the 2025 Champions Trophy but also India’s next Test assignment — the five-match away series in England in June. Rohit and Kohli, who faced scrutiny for their underwhelming form Down Under, are also likely to maintain their place for the England Tests
The report added that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to conduct a review meeting for the tour but it doesn’t see Gambhir responsible for the debacle.
“Yes, there will be a review meeting but no firing. C’mon, you can’t sack a coach for the batters’ poor show in one series. Gautam Gambhir will remain the coach, and Virat and Rohit will feature in the England series. The focus is Champions Trophy,” IANS cited BCCI sources as saying.
India won the first Test but Australia came back strongly, winning three of the next four to clinch the series. While Kohli managed 190 runs in five Tests with only one fifty-plus score, Rohit could only score 31 runs in five innings and even dropped himself from the final Test.
At the end of the series, Gambhir was questioned about Virat and Rohit’s future in the side, but he remained non-committal, letting the senior duo decide their future.
“I can’t talk about the future of any player. It is up to them as well. But yes, what I can say is that they still have hunger and passion, they are tough people. Hopefully, they can continue to take Indian cricket forward. But ultimately, as we all know, whatever they plan, it will be in the best interest of Indian cricket,” Gambhir said.
Gambhir wasn’t spared from criticism either. He was blamed for the team’s apparent defensive tactics, including the selection of all-rounder-heavy teams that could neither contribute wickets on helpful pitches, nor score runs under pressure.
He has won just three of his 10 Tests as the head coach, with two of them coming against Bangladesh at home. India have also missed qualifying for the World Test Championship Final for the first time in its three cycles.
