They're still world-class players – Gautam Gambhir on Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli

With India getting ready for the upcoming Sri Lanka series, they will be playing for the first time under the reign of Gautam Gambhir who will be replacing Rahul Dravid as head coach. One of the most pressing matters at hand for Team India will be the availability of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, as the two have now stepped down from the T20Is.

Gambhir, however, believes that there is still a lot of cricket left in the iconic duo of Sharma and Kohli. Talking at the presser held to discuss the Indian squad for Sri Lanka, Gambhir said, “I think they have shown what they can deliver on the big stage, whether it's the T20 World Cup or the 50-over World Cup as well.”

He further added, “One thing I can be very clear of is that both those guys have a lot of cricket left in them. More importantly, with the Champions Trophy [in 2025] and a big tour of Australia [in November 2024], obviously they would be motivated enough. And then, hopefully, if they can keep their fitness, the 2027 [ODI] World Cup as well.”

Gambhir continued, “But this is a very personal decision. I can't say how much cricket is left in them. Ultimately, it's up to them as well, it's up to the players. How much can they contribute to the team's success. Because, ultimately, it's the team that is important.”

He concluded by saying, “But looking at what Virat and Rohit can deliver, I think they still have a lot of cricket [left to play]. They're still world-class players and obviously any team would want to have both of them for as long as possible."