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"They can continue doing the same": Gambhir avoids guaranteeing 2027 WC spots to Rohit, Kohli

Rajgeeta Yadav

Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir [Source: AFP]Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir [Source: AFP]

India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir praised both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma after India’s ODI series victory against South Africa. He said the two senior players simply did what they have been doing for many years, scoring runs and guiding the team. 

According to him, their experience will always be valuable in the 50-over format, and he hopes they continue to contribute in the same way.

After India won the series decider by nine wickets, Kohli walked away with the Player of the Series award, while Rohit answered critics both inside and outside the team.

Gambhir praises Kohli and Rohit’s impact in India’s ODI series win

However, Gambhir asked fans and experts not to overthink their performances in relation to the next World Cup, which is still two years away. He pointed out that it is too early to make long-term judgments.

“They are world-class players and their experience is important in the dressing room. They’ve been doing it for a long time. Hopefully, they can continue doing the same, which is going to be important in the 50-over format,” Gambhir said after India’s nine-wicket win over South Africa in the series decider.

When asked about Kohli and Rohit’s chances of playing in the 2027 World Cup, Gambhir repeated that the tournament is still far away.

“First you got to realise that the ODI World Cup is two years away. It’s important to stay in the present, and that young boys coming into the set-up grab their opportunities,” he said.

Meanwhile, young players like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad also shone by scoring centuries. Because of this, Gambhir made it clear that these youngsters will continue to get chances even when regular players Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer return to the ODI squad.

Notably, Kohli and Rohit have been under heavy scrutiny since retiring from T20Is and Tests. However, after being told to play domestic cricket before returning to the ODI team, both responded strongly in this series. Kohli scored two centuries and an unbeaten 65, while Rohit hit two fifties. 

Looking ahead, both seniors seem eager to push for a spot in the 2027 World Cup. On the other hand, they will be close to 40 by then, which could make selection tougher. Overall, though, neither has given the selectors any reason to drop them, with both winning back-to-back Player of the Series awards.