Shahid Afridi attacks Gautam Gambhir for his coaching style, backs Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli for ICC Cricket World Cup 2027

Shahid Afridi has sparked his old feud with Gautam Gambhir by questioning his coaching stint with the Indian Cricket Team.

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has attacked Gautam Gambhir by questioning his coaching stint with the Indian Cricket Team, saying that it’s proven that the latter is not always right. The former Pakistan all-rounder also backed Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to play in the next edition of ICC Cricket World Cup.

Afridi’s comments came after Gambhir faced backlash for India’s humiliating test series defeat against South Africa. The hosts faced a whitewash in the two-match series, losing a test series against the Proteas at home after 25 years. India also registered the unwanted record for the defeat by the highest margin of runs in the second game in Guwahati.

Moreover, many fans have also slammed Gambhir for affecting Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s international careers. The former Indian captains announced their retirement from test cricket earlier in May, a move that shocked their fans. Since they are only active in the 50-over format, their next focus is to play in ICC Cricket World Cup 2027, which will take place in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

It is proven that you are not always right: Shahid Afridi blasts Gautam Gambhir

In an interview with Telecom Asia Sport, Afridi restarted his old feud with Gambhir, saying that it’s proven that the Indian head coach is not always right.

“The way Gautam started his stint, it looked like he thought whatever he said was right. But after some time, it is proven that you are not always right,” he said.

Moreover, the 48-year-old feels that Kohli and Sharma are the backbones of the Indian team and should play in the next Cricket World Cup. Recently, Kohli and Sharma impressed with their performances in the ODI series against South Africa, propelling the team to a 2-1 victory in the three-match series.

“You need to preserve both these players. When India face weaker teams, they can try some new players and rest Virat and Rohit. It’s a fact that Virat and Rohit are the backbones of the Indian batting line-up, and the way they have played in the recent ODI series, it can confidently be said that they can play until the 2027 World Cup,” Afridi added.

Notably, Afridi and Gambhir had a fallout during the Asia Cup 2007, when they were caught abusing each other on the field during a match between India and Pakistan. The video of the moment is quite viral among cricket fans, and Afridi has also talked about the event in his autobiography. In the past, Gambhir has attacked Afridi for his anti-India comments.

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