Gautam Gambhir said that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retiring from Tests was their own call.
Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir has opened up on the Test retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, saying that it was the players’ own choice to call it quits. The veteran batting duo announced retirement from Tests earlier in May, just over a month before India’s tour of England where they will play five Tests.
Their retirement has not just left a void in the batting department but also the team management will have their task cut out in their bid to name a new captain. “I think, when you start the game and when you want to finish, it’s a very individual decision. No one has the right,” Gambhir told CNN-News18 during an interview.
“Be it the coach, the selector, be it anyone in this country, has any right to tell someone when to retire and when not to retire. So it comes from within,” he added.
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The 43-year-old, however, opined that the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will open up opportunities for other promising cricketers.
“And yes, we’ve got to be without two senior players. And sometimes I believe that it’s the opportunity for some other people to put their hand up and say, Okay, I’m ready for it. So yes, it will be tough, but then there’ll be people putting their hand up for sure because this question was asked to me before,” the former Delhi cricketer added.
He gave the example of when India lifted the 2025 Champions Trophy title without the injured pacer Jasprit Bumrah. In Bumrah’s absence, Mohammed Shami stepped up and finished the tournament with nine wickets. He was the joint-second highest wicket-taker in the tournament.
“Champions Trophy as well. When Jasprit Bumrah wasn’t there, I said exactly the same thing: someone missing out might give another person an opportunity to do something special for the country. Hopefully, there’ll be other guys waiting for that opportunity,” explained Gambhir.
The first Test between England and India is scheduled to take place from June 20 at Edgbaston in Birmingham.
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