From Gautam Gambhir's appointment to Rohit Sharma's retirement talks: How things unfolded? Explained
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Gautam Gambhir has been India’s head coach for more than two years.
Indian Cricket is in a tough spot, especially in the ODI format. Two of the greats of the game, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been under constant scrutiny for their performances. However, the sword dangles on Rohit’s neck currently.
On July 16, during the 2nd England vs India ODI match, a news report by Indian Express did rounds on X (Twitter). After Rohit Sharma’s 26 off 47 in that contest, the news claimed that the 3rd ODI of the series, will be Rohit’s last match for the country; and that the team management and BCCI are not keen on having Rohit in the plans for 2027 World Cup.
Shortly after the news was broken, many news pages and channels took up the piece and circulated this development. However, around 24 hours later, on July 17, the BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia spoke to PTI and ridiculed all the rumours.
He clarified that there have been no such discussions on Rohit and that the 3rd ODI will not be his last. He maintained the stance and asserted that “Rohit is a regular member of the Indian ODI team and he will continue to represent the country as long as he is in the scheme of things.”
Another piece by Indian Express journalist Devendra Pandey mentions that Rohit is keen on playing the upcoming World Cup, however, it is the selectors who are weighing other options.
Rohit Sharma invited Gautam Gambhir for the coaching role
In a recent claim by PTI, it is learned that Rohit played a major role in bringing Gautam Gambhir in the coaching staff.
This was back in 2024 when Rohit Sharma was India’s all-format captain. Rahul Dravid was India’s head coach, and his tenure was due to end June 2024, after the T20 World Cup.
Shortly ahead of the T20 World Cup, during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, in a match between Mumbai Indians (MI) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Rohit and Gambhir met and shared some moments.
According to PTI, Rohit approached Gambhir during the training session and said, “Gauti bhai Indian team mein aa jaao‘ (Gautam brother, join the Indian team), and Gambhir replied: ‘If you remain captain, I will definitely join’.”
What followed was, KKR winning the IPL 2024 trophy under the mentorship of Gautam Gambhir, which further strengthened his contention for the role of a head coach with the Indian team.
Breakdown in the relationship of Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir
Gautam Gambhir was appointed India’s head coach after the stint of Rahul Dravid ended. However, things did not play out between the captain and the coach in the way Rohit might have envisioned.
The cracks first developed during the Test series against New Zealand, which had resulted in a home whitewash for India, first time in 12 years that the side lost home series.
The relationship between the duo further worsened during the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. Rohit wanted to sit out of the Sydney Test (5th Test) voluntarily, despite being warned against it by Agarkar. Agarkar had alerted him of the consequences that would have had. But Rohit carried on with the decision anyhow.
Furthermore, Rohit went on to Star Sports and gave an infamous controversial interview, where he talked about him knowing what’s best for him. This interview left Gambhir stunned and added fuel to the already disrupting relationship.
Ahead of the England tour in 2025, Rohit was all geared up for the series, but chose to announce his retirement. Shortly after, he was also stripped off the ODI captaincy despite winning the Champions Trophy 2025.
Ever since, Rohit has been working hard for his dream to play the World Cup 2027, while the selectors and team management are in a fix.
There haven been reports suggesting that things are not right between Gambhir and Rohit; however, the two have looked good on camera. With ENG vs IND last ODI around the corner, all eyes will be on Rohit, and it remains to be seen what unfolds further in this development.
Will Rohit Sharma retire after the England series?
No, there has been no such official news regarding Rohit Sharma’s retirement after the England series.
Will Rohit Sharma play the ODI World Cup 2027?
Rohit Sharma has openly expressed his desire to play the ODI World Cup 2027, and has evidently worked on his fitness for the same.
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Cricket runs in the blood of Indians — and that’s something she truly believes in. A law student with a lifelong connection to the game, she has followed cricket passionately since his school days. Like countless young fans, she first experienced the sport on the field before deepening his understanding through constant watching, reading, and conversations around the game. Writing became a natural extension of that passion, bringing a “Pavilion Perspective” to his work — capturing how fans experience matches through their own lens.