Gautam Gambhir-Ajit Agarkar: Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli return to international cricket for the first time since the Champions Trophy, joining India’s squad for the Australia ODI series.
India’s White-Ball Transition: Shubman Gill Named ODI Captain
The appointment of Gautam Gambhir as head coach and Ajit Agarkar as chief selector coincided with a transitional phase for Indian cricket across formats. Following Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s T20I World Cup triumph in Barbados in June 2024, both players unexpectedly retired from Test cricket in May this year. Gautam Gambhir and Agarkar, however, approached this shift positively, ensuring a smooth handover to the next generation of stars.
On Saturday, Indian cricket witnessed another major development: Agarkar announced Shubman Gill as the new ODI captain during the press conference for the upcoming white-ball tour of Australia, starting in just over two weeks — a transition humorously dubbed the “GA-AG order” by a former BCCI official.
Rohit and Kohli have been named for the three-match ODI series in Australia, marking their return to international cricket since the Champions Trophy. However, Agarkar remained non-committal about their participation in the 2027 World Cup in South Africa. Reports suggest that Gautam Gambhir and Agarkar believe “both Rohit and Kohli aren’t exactly in their scheme of things for the 2027 World Cup,” citing concerns over sustaining form given their participation in only one international format alongside the annual IPL.
Agarkar emphasized the importance of domestic cricket to remain sharp and competitive, suggesting that Kohli and Rohit play in the Vijay Hazare Trophy when not on international duty. “Whenever players are available, they should be playing domestic cricket. That’s the only way you’ll keep yourself sharp and playing cricket if you’ve had a long enough break,” he said. “Whether that’s possible with international commitments or not, only time will tell, but if the guys are free, they should be playing domestic cricket.”
Concerns Over Rohit Sharma’s Fitness as Focus Shifts to Performance in Australia
Reports suggest that Ajit Agarkar and Gautam Gambhir are more worried about Rohit Sharma’s fitness, doubting whether he can sustain performance until 2027. In contrast, Virat Kohli’s fitness remains unquestioned, giving him a comparatively stronger case. “When compared with Rohit, Agarkar’s selection committee feels that he still might have an outside chance,” the report noted.
For both players, the immediate expectation is straightforward: score runs in Australia. Agarkar emphasized this simplicity, stating, “What they have been doing for years — try to score runs. I don’t think that changes. We hope they keep doing it and you know you don’t have to think too far at this point.”