'Hopefully they can...': Gautam Gambhir finally talks about Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma amidst 2027 ODI World Cup debate

Following India's nine-wicket triumph over South Africa in Vizag, which sealed the ODI series 2-1, India's head coach Gautam Gambhir praised Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, stating they simply did what 'they've been doing for such a long time' in the three-match series. He expressed his hope that they would continue to contribute significantly, emphasizing that their performance would 'always be important' in the 50-over format of the game.

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Gautam Gambhir backs Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma

Gambhir's comments are expected to bring considerable relief to a section of Indian fans who have been concerned about a supposedly bubbling rift within the men's dressing room. Several recent reports have claimed that communication has broken down between Gambhir, Kohli, and Rohit, particularly since the star duo has transitioned into being single-format players for the national team.

“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," Gambhir said at the post-match press conference.

Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma continue red-hot form

Both Kohli and Rohit appear to be pushing hard to secure spots in the 2027 World Cup squad, despite the fact that both players will be close to 40 years old that year, which might typically run counter to Gambhir’s known ruthless selection philosophy. However, neither player has given the selectors any reason to consider dropping them. Rohit was named the Player of the Series against Australia last month, while Kohli earned the same award against South Africa, having amassed over 300 runs, including two centuries.

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Gambhir then took the time to praise the performances of young talents Ruturaj Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal, both of whom struck centuries after coming into the squad as injury replacements for Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer, respectively.

“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. 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.