Amid ongoing speculation about Rohit Sharma’s future in international cricket, India head coach Gautam Gambhir dodged a direct response but emphasized the impact of Rohit’s leadership and aggressive batting approach. The conversation took place following India’s victory over Australia in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final, securing the team’s place in the final.
During the post-match press conference, a reporter questioned how long Rohit Sharma might continue playing after the Champions Trophy. Gambhir, however, avoided a direct answer, instead praising Rohit for setting the right tempo and leading with an aggressive mindset.
“Look, the final of the Champions Trophy is now coming up. What can I say before that? If your captain bats with such a tempo, it just gives a very good signal to the dressing room that we want to be absolutely fearless and courageous. You evaluate from the runs; we evaluate from the impact. That’s the difference. You evaluate from the stats; we evaluate from the impact. As journalists, as experts, you only look at numbers, averages. But as a coach, as a team, we don’t look at numbers or averages. If the captain puts up his hand first, then there is nothing better than that for the dressing room,” said Gambhir.
Rohit Sharma’s Historic Feat
- First captain in cricket history to lead his team to the final of every ICC tournament since taking over in February 2022.
- Led India to the finals of:
- ICC World Test Championship 2023
- ICC ODI World Cup 2023
- ICC T20 World Cup 2024 (won the title)
- ICC Champions Trophy 2025 (ongoing)
- India became the first team to reach five Champions Trophy finals, with no other team surpassing three appearances.
Rohit’s Performance in Champions Trophy 2025
Despite being questioned for his future in international cricket, Rohit has maintained an aggressive approach, especially in powerplays. In four matches, he has:
- Scored 104 runs at an average of 26.00
- Maintained a strike rate of 107.21
- Best score of 41
- Scored 28 off 29 balls in the semi-final against Australia, hitting three fours and a six
What’s Next?
While Gambhir’s evasive answer raises further speculation, it’s clear that Rohit Sharma remains a crucial figure in India’s cricketing dominance. With the Champions Trophy final approaching, all focus remains on whether Rohit can lead India to yet another ICC title.
