‘I am not a player’s future…’, coach Gautam Gambhir reacts on Rohit-Kohli’s retirement

Sydney: The last match of the five-match Test series between India and Australia was played in Sydney. In this match, the Indian team had to face defeat by 6 wickets. In the match, India had given Australia a target of 162 runs to win, which it achieved in the second session of the third day of the game (5 January). Due to this defeat, the Indian team also lost the Border Gavaskar Trophy after 10 years. Also, its dream of reaching the WTC final was shattered.

Gambhir was questioned on Kohli-Rohit’s retirement
After the end of the Sydney Test, Team India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir participated in the press conference. During this, Gautam Gambhir also talked about Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. When Gambhir was asked about the retirement of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, he said that he cannot decide the future of any player. Gambhir gave a special advice to the Indian players.

Gautam Gambhir said, ‘I cannot comment on the future of any player, it depends on them. They have hunger and commitment. Hopefully they will do everything they can to take Indian cricket forward. I would always want everyone to play domestic cricket, if they are available. If you are committed to Test matches, then play domestic cricket.’

‘Don’t know where we will be after 5 months’
Gautam Gambhir said, ‘It is too early to talk about transition, don’t know where we will be after 5 months. I have to be honest and fair to everyone to keep the dressing room happy. Let us tell you that the Indian team now has to play the next Test series in England in June-July.
Gambhir was also questioned on that comment of Australian coach Andrew McDonald. The Kangaroo coach had said that the Indian players were intimidating Sam Constas at the end of the first day’s play. Gambhir said, ‘This is a tough game which only tough people play. You cannot be so soft. I don’t think there was anything scary about it.’

Captain Rohit Sharma had made it clear in the middle of the Sydney Test that he is not retiring yet. Rohit had said, ‘I am not going to retire soon. I decided to withdraw from this match only because runs were not being scored. I will work hard and make a comeback. Runs are not being scored right now, but there is no guarantee that runs will not be scored even after 5 months.’

The Hitman had said – I have decided to withdraw from this Test, but I am not going anywhere. This is not a decision to retire or move away from the format. What any person with a mic, pen or laptop writes or says does not change our life. We have played this game for so many years. These people cannot decide when we should retire or when we should not play. I am a sensible man, a mature man, a father of two children, so I have a little brain about what I want in life.

Rohit had said on Agarkar and Gambhir, ‘I spoke to the selector and head coach. I told them that the Sydney match is very important for the team. It was a difficult decision to take, but I thought that an in-form player should play.’ Rohit also said that he decided to stay out of the fifth Test after coming to Sydney because he did not want to tell the team about this on New Year.