‘Just made sure that these guys are not there’ - Ex-KKR teammate alleges Gautam Gambhir for forcing Rohit-Kohli to retire

Published - 07 Oct 2025, 16:29 IST | Updated - 07 Oct 2025, 16:38 IST

Former Indian cricketer Manoj Tiwary has called out former teammate and current head coach of the Indian team Gautam Gambhir, alleging that the latter is pushing senior players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli out of the national side. The BCCI recently announced Shubman Gill as India’s new ODI captain, replacing Rohit Sharma, despite his successful Champions Trophy 2025 campaign.

The decision has sparked debate among fans and experts, who are questioning Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar’s choice to hand over the captaincy to the 25-year-old Gill. Tiwary accused Gambhir of indirectly forcing senior players to retire early, hinting at Rohit and Virat Kohli. He also mentioned Ravichandran Ashwin, who announced his retirement mid-way through the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) series, suggesting that the veteran spinner felt underutilized after being benched for most matches.

"If the senior players are there, if Ashwin is there, if Rohit is there or if Virat is there, then these guys have played so much cricket, these guys are established much more than the head coach or the other staff, these guys will raise questions if they don't agree to a point. You just made sure that these guys are not there, basically," said Tiwary as quoted by Inside Sport.

Tiwary also pointed out that Gambhir has been at the centre of several controversies since his appointment as India’s head coach. He hinted that the recent retirements of senior players like Ashwin, Rohit, and Kohli, who have stepped away from Test and T20I formats, might have been influenced by Gambhir’s approach.

"I have observed that since this coach took on the role, a lot of controversies have arisen. Many things that are happening are not good for Indian cricket. I believe that since the time he has been the head coach, Ashwin has taken a retirement. Rohit and Virat have also done so. Other things have happened, such as players being unexpectedly added to the squad and then being straight into the starting XI. We have seen that Gambhir has not been consistent," said Tiwary.

Tiwary suggested that it would be a poor decision for Gambhir to sideline Rohit for the 2027 World Cup, especially after removing him from the captaincy. Nonetheless, India’s senior batters will be part of the upcoming tour of Australia, starting on October 19. The ODI series will see new captain Gill leading the side, with Rohit and Kohli playing under him, likely their final appearances on Australian soil before retirement.

"If these players feel that things are affecting their image and they are no longer wanted in the dressing room, then they might consider retiring. I believe they want to play. I think Gambhir won't take this call of not having these two individuals because, in the white-ball format, no one can deny the fact that these two have been outstanding. It would be a really poor decision if Gautam doesn't include these two in the scheme of things for the World Cup," Tiwary concluded.