Watch: “Don’t make fun of…”- Ravi Shastri attacks Gautam Gambhir on Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s ODI future
India's former head coach, Ravi Shastri, has cooked the current Indian head coach, Gautam Gambhir, after discussions of leaving both veterans- Rohit Shama and Virat Kohli- from ODI cricket ahead of next ODI World Cup 2027.
The former Indian head coach, Ravi Shastri, requested the selectors and the management of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to leave Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s ODI future, besides warning them of the consequences of messing with the giants of the game. Rohit and Kohli had been facing the heat of performing heading into the three-match ODI series against South Africa at home.
Kohli is the second leading run-getter of the ODI format with 14557 runs in 296 innings at an average of 58.46, thanks to 53 centuries and 76 fifties at the best score of 183. Meanwhile, Rohit Shama has clubbed 11516 runs, scoring 33 centuries and 61 fifties, to find the ninth place in the same list.
“These two are grandfathers. White-ball giants, toh aise players ke saath aap masti mat karo yaar (don’t needle them). Agar unka dimaag theek ho gaya na, and sahi button dabaaye na, sab aaju-baaju nikal jayenge (If their brains get fixed and they press the right button, everyone will run for cover.” Ravi Shastri expressed in an interaction on Prabhat Khabar.
Ravi Shastri cooks Gautam Gambhir on Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s future
Shastri was the architect of the golden era of the Indian cricket team, a phase between 2017 and 2021, when he was the head coach of the Blue Brigade as they were invincible in both the red-ball and white-ball formats of the game.
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“You can’t buy experience from the market outside. One is a master chaser; the other one has three double centuries in ODI cricket.” Shastri added that Kohli and Rohit are irreplaceable as the veteran will be back in action during the upcoming three-match ODI series at home against New Zealand at the start of 2026.
Kohli finished the recent Protea series with 302 runs in three innings, thanks to two centuries and one unbeaten half-century. On the other hand, Rohit celebrated two fifties in his old aggressive rhythm as the hosts completed a 2-1 series victory.
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