“Ex-India Star’s Blunt Verdict on Kohli-Rohit Under Gautam Gambhir: ‘He Isn’t a Foreign Coach'”

The ODI and T20I series against Sri Lanka were crucial for the Indian cricket team as they marked the beginning of Gautam Gambhir’s tenure as the new head coach. Following the end of Rahul Dravid’s stint after the T20 World Cup 2024 triumph, Gambhir took over the role. While the squad included some new faces, experienced players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma were also part of the ODI team. Despite the tour being viewed as an opportunity to experiment with young talents, Gambhir opted to include Kohli and Rohit.

Former India fast bowler Ashish Nehra expressed his opinion on this decision, suggesting that it might not have been the best call. Speaking on Sony Sports after India’s loss to Sri Lanka in the second ODI, Nehra highlighted that this series could have been a chance to give opportunities to younger players, and the presence of Kohli and Rohit wasn’t necessary.

“The next series India plays is 2-3 months later, which is rare for us. So for players like Rohit and Kohli, I feel there was a better chance of giving opportunities to other players during this series,” Nehra said. “I know Gambhir is a new coach, and he wants to spend some time with the experienced players, but it isn’t like he doesn’t know the two of them. He is not a foreign coach who wants to get his equation right with Kohli and Rohit.”

Nehra added that Gambhir had a good opportunity to try out new players and that Kohli and Rohit could have been included when the home season begins. “I’m not saying it is a wrong approach, but it could have been one of the strategies in this series,” he concluded.