Gambhir stresses staying in present as Kohli, Rohit eye 2027 ODI World Cup

India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir has emphasised the importance of focusing on the present amid ongoing speculation about the future of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in ODI cricket.

When asked about the 2027 ODI World Cup and the prospects of the senior stars, Gambhir said on Tuesday that the tournament is still more than two years away, and the immediate focus should remain on current commitments. "The 50-over World Cup is still two and a half years away. It is very important to stay in the present. Obviously they are quality players. They are coming back. Their experience is going to be valuable in Australia," he said.

With Shubman Gill recently appointed as India’s ODI skipper, the national selectors have begun a transition in the 50-over format, raising questions about the roles of Kohli and Rohit, who will be 39 and 40 years old respectively by 2027. Gambhir stressed that the duo’s form and performance in the upcoming nine ODIs will play a crucial role in shaping their future with the team. India will face Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand in three ODIs each over the next few months.

"Hopefully those two guys can have a successful tour, and more importantly, as a team we can have a successful series," Gambhir added, highlighting the significance of collective performance alongside individual contributions.

Gambhir also shared his perspective on the attributes he seeks when introducing players to the national side, giving insight into the team’s selection approach. "First and foremost, you look at talent. Then you look at the work ethic. You look at the characters in that dressing room, especially in red-ball cricket. You look at what they bring on the table, apart from the amount of runs and wickets they do. I think how hungry they are. And if you've got all those attributes, you will definitely have a successful Test career," he explained.

He acknowledged the competitive and uncertain nature of international cricket, stressing the importance of giving players continuity. "For me, giving them a longer run is very, very important because as we all know that international cricket is a very insecure environment because only 15 players can go on to represent the country and there are so many people waiting for their opportunity. So make sure first you pick the right characters and then if you see that, try and give them a longer run so that they themselves should be content and happy that they've got a longer run rather than just chopping and changing as well," Gambhir said.

Expressing his personal philosophy on player selection, Gambhir said he avoids the term "dropping" and emphasised empathy in team management. "Sometimes it's difficult as a head coach and a team management where you will have to sometimes leave out players. I don't like using this word, dropping players because you don't drop players, you only select players. When a player is left out, the least a coach can do is be empathetic and not ruthless," he remarked.

Reflecting on India’s recent performances, Gambhir praised the Test squad’s work ethic during the England tour. "For me, the Test squad that went to England was superb in terms of its work ethic and ticked all the right boxes. So for me, that is something which is exceptionally important and these guys have done their bit, especially on the England tour, the kind of work ethic they had shown. For me, that was a huge tick," he said.

Gambhir’s comments come amid a period of transition for Indian cricket across formats, as he seeks to balance integrating emerging talent while retaining the value of experienced players like Kohli and Rohit.