Gambhir Champions Senior Players, Dismisses Age as Deciding Factor

NEW DELHI: Gautam Gambhir, the newly appointed head coach of the Indian cricket team, has voiced strong support for seasoned players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. He asserted that their presence in the Test squad should remain unquestioned, provided their performance levels remain high.

Following India’s underwhelming performance in the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia, which concluded with a 3-1 defeat, questions surfaced about the future of the experienced duo in the Test format. With a challenging five-Test tour of England scheduled for June, their inclusion in the squad has become a subject of speculation.

In a media interaction on Tuesday, Gambhir rejected the idea that a player’s age should determine when their career ends. He stressed that retirement decisions are exclusively the player’s prerogative and should remain free from external influence from coaches, selectors, or the cricket board.

“Their continued inclusion in the team is warranted as long as they maintain their performance standards,” Gambhir stated.

“The decision to commence or conclude a career should solely reside with the player. Coaches, selectors, or even the BCCI should not dictate this. If an individual performs well at 40, they are capable of playing until 45. There should be no impediments,” he added.

The former Indian opener also highlighted the significant contributions of Kohli and Sharma in past ICC tournaments, such as the Champions Trophy, emphasizing their crucial roles in critical match situations.

When questioned regarding team selection for the forthcoming England series, Gambhir clarified that the squad selection does not fall under his purview as head coach.

“The coach’s responsibility is not to select the team, that is the domain of the selectors. My responsibility commences once the squad is finalized. I then concentrate on choosing the optimal playing XI for each game,” he concluded.

The five-match Test series between England and India is scheduled to commence on June 20 at Headingley, Leeds, followed by matches at Edgbaston, Lord’s, Old Trafford, and The Oval.