Gautam Gambhir Advised Not To Give Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli Any More Time

Anil Kumble, the former head coach of India, advised Gautam Gambhir that once the Champions Trophy 2025 is over, India needs to start planning for the future. Kumble claims that the administration of the team must choose whether or not to choose Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma for the 2027 ODI World Cup.

The former legspinner for India urged current head coach Gautam Gambhir to make some difficult decisions on the team's selection, including Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's future.

Last year, Gautam Gambhir began his coaching career. His experience thus far has been uneventful, as India has excelled in Twenty20 Internationals but struggled in Tests and One-Day Internationals. Kumble wants India to begin preparing for the 2027 World Cup quickly.

Anil Kumble unsure about Rohit Sharma & Virat Kohli's future

In his remarks about the future of Indian cricket, Anil Kumble raised concerns over Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's availability for the upcoming ODI World Cup. Kumble suggested that to give the children a good amount of experience, they need to be given more opportunities.

"Ideally, at the end of this tournament, you must start looking ahead to the next World Cup (2027). Do the seniors make it there? Or do we give the opportunity to youngsters to take the team forward in the shorter formats and build a strong unit," Kumble told ESPNcricinfo.

Anil Kumble: India need to look to the future, regardless of the outcome at the Champions Trophy 🗣️

Read more: https://t.co/sMDZjILTW4 pic.twitter.com/iTUhXMjTSO

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) February 20, 2025

Both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are currently nearing the end of their careers. Despite having previously retired from T20Is, the star pair continues to be important members of India's Test and ODI teams. Both are participating in the Champions Trophy right now, and the team will greatly benefit from their expertise.

Gautam Gambhir needs to make some tough decisions: Anil Kumble

Anil Kumble continued the conversation by referring to it as a crucial tournament for Gautam Gambhir, who has been under pressure following India's recent home losses and the Test series loss in Australia.

"You could say this is a very important tournament for a coach who has to make those tough calls in terms of transitioning from the legacy players to the others. that's the job of the coach, to make those hard decisions," Kumble said.

Champions Trophy 2025 to determine seniors' future claims Kumble

Kumble went on to say that regardless of the outcome of the current Champions Trophy, Team India must focus on the future. He asserts that Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's futures will be decided by the Champions Trophy.

He added: "This tournament could determine where those seniors would go, and where India would look at making those changes. Win or lose, you need these tough calls to be made at the earliest. You need to start looking ahead in white-ball cricket, especially at the 2027 World Cup."

Both players participated in the most recent ODI World Cup in 2023, where they nearly helped India win the championship. India lost heartbreakingly to Australia in the final, but Kohli and Rohit finished as the tournament's top two run scorers.

Also Read: Harshit Rana Reveals Jasprit Bumrah’s Advice For Champions Trophy 2025 Preparation