India head coach Gautam Gambhir has opened up about Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s future amid form concerns ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Gautam Gambhir said that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will play a ‘massive role’ in the Champions Trophy, which is set to commence on February 19.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been the backbone of the batting lineup for years. However, speculation about their retirement has been growing, especially after India’s recent struggles in Test cricket. The team has lost six of their last eight Tests played against New Zealand at home and then in Australia.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma Want to Regain Form Ahead of Champions Trophy
Rohit scored just 31 runs in five innings, while Virat Kohli managed 190 runs in nine innings during the 2024-25 BGT, where India lost 3-1. Their struggles continued in the Ranji Trophy. Rohit scored 31 runs in two innings for Mumbai against Jammu & Kashmir, and Kohli managed only six runs for Delhi against Railways.
India’s top scorers from the last ODI World Cup will look to regain form in the format they have dominated for over a decade. Their next challenge will be a three-match ODI series at home against England. The team will then head to Dubai, where they will play all their matches in the Champions Trophy.
Rohit and Virat Add So Much Value to the Dressing Room – Gautam Gambhir
Speaking at the Naman Awards 2025 on Saturday, February 1, Gautam Gambhir said that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have the hunger to perform and help the team win.
Gambhir stated that they will play a crucial role in the high-stakes Champions Trophy and continue to be vital assets to Indian cricket.
“I think both Rohit and Virat, they add so much value to the dressing room. They add so much value to Indian cricket as well. They’ve got to play a massive role in the Champions Trophy. And I’ve said it before as well: those guys are so hungry; they want to play for the country. They have the passion to play for the country and deliver for the country,” Gambhir told Star Sports.
Champions Trophy is a Completely Different Challenge – Gautam Gambhir
Gautam Gambhir said that the Champions Trophy is a completely different challenge from the 50-over World Cup. He pointed out that every game in the Champions Trophy is crucial, with no room for mistakes. Gambhir added that the team must perform well from the start and secure five victories.
“The Champions Trophy is a completely different challenge as compared to the 50-over World Cup because literally every game is a make-or-break, so you can’t stop anywhere in this tournament. So hopefully, we’re going to start off really well because ultimately, if you want to go on and win the competition, you have to win five games,” he added.
India will kick off their campaign with a match against Bangladesh on February 20. The Men in Blue were runners-up in the 2017 edition, where they suffered a heartbreaking loss to Pakistan in the final.
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