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The fact that Rohit Sharma could be forced out of the ODI team by the selectors would not only hurt the Mumbai batsman, but could also have repercussions for head coach Gautam Gambhir. In a way, Rohit is unlikely to go down alone. If he gets his way, he could also try to bring Gambhir down, sources told CricBlogger. An anti-Gambhir narrative could emerge soon, which would not be good for the India coach, who, according to sources, has been after Rohit’s place in the team for quite some time.
By forcefully removing Rohit at the behest of a top selector, who is hanging on to the job with a help of a backing of a former star cricketer, Gambhir’s credibility is at all time low inside the dressing room. Barring Harshit Rana, Washington Sunder and Ravi Bishnoi — all the players are uncertain about their places in the dressing room. Sources said that it was the face off between Rohit and Gambhir that has led to such toxicity in the dressing room.
It was this uncertainty, sources believe, that may have influenced Virat Kohli’s decision to retire from Test cricket. After witnessing the way incumbent Test captain Rohit Sharma was dropped from the playing XI in the last Test match during the Australian series, Kohli was unsure about how secure his own place was, despite India’s Champions Trophy triumph last year.
The sentiment, sources added, is that no player of Kohli’s stature would want to be treated in the manner Rohit has allegedly been treated by the team management.
It is also true that Rohit was instrumental in giving Gambhir a free hand in the dressing room. When Gambhir took over as head coach, there was little need for Rohit to ask him to play a role similar to Rahul Dravid’s, who largely allowed the captain to lead on cricketing matters.
India subsequently lost two Tests to New Zealand, and ahead of the third Test, Gambhir is believed to have taken complete control. Since then, he has effectively been calling the shots, sources told CricBlogger.
Thereafter, the relationship between Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir is believed to have deteriorated, with bad blood defining their equation. From reportedly asking Rohit to allow Jasprit Bumrah to captain India during the Australia tour, to dropping Rohit for the Sydney Test and subsequently removing him as ODI captain after India’s Champions Trophy triumph, sources claim Gambhir took the lead on each of those decisions.
Now, with Rohit potentially facing the prospect of losing his place in the ODI side as well, sources believe he has little reason to hold back. They claim he could use his public relations network to counter the narrative around his exit and turn the spotlight on Gambhir. Remember what happened to Hardik Pandya after he took over the Mumbai Indians captaincy from Rohit. For three years, Hardik struggled to establish himself as Mumbai’s captain. What lies in store for Gambhir now, only time will tell.
It’s no longer just about losing a few crores in endorsement earnings; for Rohit, it’s now a matter of aan, baan and shaan—his honour, pride and prestige.
