• Home
  • Who Said What
  • No One Has The Right To Tell Them Gambhir Reacts To Kohli Rohits Test Retirements

"No One Has The Right To Tell Them" Gambhir Reacts To Kohli, Rohit's  Test Retirements

Aakash Saini

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli [Source: @eden91off34/x.com]Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli [Source: @eden91off34/x.com]

Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir has given his take on the sudden Test retirements of modern-day batting behemoths Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Both Kohli and Sharma confirmed their exits from the format within the space of a week earlier this month, after undergoing one of the worst phases of their Test careers.

With just a month away from touring England for a five-match Test series, coach Gambhir believes that their retirements will give younger players an opportunity to raise their hands up for the national team.

Gambhir says retirement an individual decision

While speaking to CNN-News18, former Indian opener and current head coach Gautam Gambhir said that he is confident of youngsters rising up to the occasion in the Test series in England in the absence of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. He also cited the example of this year’s 2025 ICC Champions Trophy where ace fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out owing to an injury.

He said:

“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.”

“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.”

Gautam Gambhir also added that retirement is an individual decision, and neither coach nor selectors has any right to force someone to step away from the game. He added:

“I think, when you start the game and when you want to finish, it’s a very individual decision. No one has the right. 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.”

Nonetheless, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are currently plying their trades for their respective franchises in the IPL 2025 season.

Team India, in the absence of Kohli and Sharma, will soon be touring England for a five-match Test series next month.