India head coach Gautam Gambhir hinted that he probably did not manage his relationship with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma well. The stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retired from Test cricket in the first season of Gambhir’s coaching tenure and called time after India’s disastrous Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Speaking at the Revsportz conclave in Kolkata, Gambhir was asked how he felt about the media talking about his relationship with Virat and Rohit, with suggestions that things had turned sour between them.
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Gambhir did not directly comment on the issue but admitted that he may have made mistakes. The head coach was quick to defend himself, stating that he was allowed to make mistakes like everyone else, as long as his intentions were right.
“I’m human, I should be allowed to make mistakes. Players should be allowed to make mistakes. I’ve had to make mistakes in the last 18 months. I don’t shy away from that. But I’ve always believed in one thing: wrong decisions with the right intention are acceptable. But wrong decisions with the wrong intention are absolutely unacceptable in that dressing room,” Gautam Gambhir said at an event in Kolkata.
“As long as I’m honest with my dressing room and I can talk to them by looking them in the eye, I think I’m doing a fair job in my position,” he added.
After India’s disastrous Test series against New Zealand and Australia, the Board of Control for Cricket in India withdrew Gambhir and then captain Rohit Sharma for a review of the Test squad.
The board has decided to introduce several guidelines that restrict the individual freedom of Indian players. Soon after, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, two of the oldest members of the team, decided to call time on their Test careers.
Since the retirement of Rohit and Kohli, the management has given opportunity to several young cricketers under Shubman Gill. Under Gambhir and Gill, India pulled England away from home, beat the West Indies and then faltered against South Africa in a two-match Test series in the same season.
While the results have been mixed, the transition team has shown the kind of brand it wants to play in the red ball format and the direction it is heading.
Meanwhile, Virat and Rohit currently play only one format in international cricket – ODIs. Both are gunning for a place in the 2027 World Cup. However, Gambhir and the selection committee say the duo are not automatic selections for the World Cup squad.
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Issued by:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published on:
16 Mar 2026 15:33 IST
