'Made mistakes in last 18 months': Gautam Gambhir's honest take on handling relationship with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli

India head coach Gautam Gambhir has hinted that he may not have handled his relationship with senior players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma perfectly during his time in charge.

Both Kohli and Rohit retired from Test cricket in Gambhir’s first season as head coach, stepping away after India’s poor showing in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Gautam Gambhir on his relations with Rohit and Virat

There had been a lot of talk in the media about whether things were not right between Gambhir and the two senior players. When asked about it, Gambhir didn’t directly respond to those claims but admitted that he could have made some mistakes along the way.

"I am human, I should be allowed to make mistakes. Players should be allowed to make mistakes. I must have made mistakes in the last 18 months. I do not shy away from that. But I have always believed in one thing: wrong decisions with the right intent are acceptable. But wrong decisions with wrong intent are absolutely not acceptable in that dressing room," Gautam Gambhir said at the event in Kolkata as quoted by India Today.

"Till the time that I am honest with my dressing room and I can talk to them by looking into their eyes, I think I am doing a fair job in my position," he added.

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How Rohit and Virat announced Test retirement?

After India’s disappointing Test series against New Zealand and Australia, the Board of Control for Cricket in India reviewed the team’s performance and also spoke to Gambhir and then captain Rohit Sharma.

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After that, the BCCI introduced strict guidelines that reduced the individual freedom players had earlier. After that series, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli announced their retirement from Tests.

After Rohit and Virat's retirement from the whites, Team India started rebuilding with younger players under the captaincy of Shubman Gill. Under Gill and Gambhir, India had mixed results as they managed a draw in England, beat the West Indies, but lost a two-match Test series to South Africa.

Notably, Rohit and Virat who already retired from Tests and T20Is, last represented India in the ODI series against South Africa as the duo are aiming to be part of the 2027 World Cup. However, Gambhir and the selectors have made it clear that neither player is guaranteed a place in the squad.