Gautam Gambhir breaks silence on Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma's Test retirements: 'No one has the right...'

Gautam Gambhir has reacted for the first time on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma taking Test retirements and how it will impact the Indian cricket team. read more

Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir has finally broken his silence on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma taking Test retirements a little over one month before the tour of England. Kohli and Rohit’s retirements have left the Indian cricket team thin on experience as they get ready for a five-match Test series in one of the toughest conditions.

Also Read |

Both Kohli and Rohit had a poor time in Australia during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. While their retirement around the same time has come as a surprise, it was largely felt that Rohit’s time was up. Rohit did not captain in the last Sydney Test as well after making just 31 runs in five innings in Australia.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

Gambhir: ‘Retirement is a personal decision’

Multiple reports also suggest that Gambhir played a role in pushing both Kohli and Rohit out of the Test team, but the former India cricketer has said that retirement is a personal decision and no one influences that.

“I think, when you start the game and when you want to finish, it’s a very individual decision. No one has the right. Be it the coach, the selector, be it anyone in this country has any right to tell someone when to retire and when not to retire. So it comes from within," Gautam Gambhir told CNN-News18 in an exclusive interview.

More from First Cricket Trouble at PBKS as co-owner Preity Zinta files legal case against co-directors

He added that it’s an opportunity for other Indian players to make a name for themselves.

“And yes, we’ve got to be without two senior players to really experience players. And sometimes I believe that it’s the opportunity for some other people to put their hand up and say, Okay, I’m ready for it. So yes, it will be tough, but then there’ll be people putting their hand up for sure because this question was asked to me before. Champions Trophy as well. When Jasprit Bumrah wasn’t there and I said exactly the same thing, someone missing out might give another person an opportunity to do something special for the country, hopefully, there’ll be other guys waiting for that opportunity," he said.

Kohli had scored just 190 runs in five Test matches in Australia despite making a hundred in Perth.

The five-match Test series between India and England starts on 20 June at Leeds.

Click here to read article