Gambhir-Kohli-Rohit Tensions Persist as BCCI Pressures Duo to Play Domestic Cricket

The Indian cricket team's white-ball resurgence, highlighted by Rohit Sharma's explosive centuries and Virat Kohli's vintage 135 in the first ODI against South Africa on December 1, 2025, masks deepening internal fractures that have gripped the cricketing fraternity. Reports indicate a "borderline cold" relationship between head coach Gautam Gambhir and the senior duo, exacerbated by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)'s insistence on mandatory domestic participation to sustain form and fitness. As the nation celebrates a 17-run victory in Ranchi—India's third consecutive ODI win—the off-field discord, fuelled by Test retirements and selection debates, threatens to undermine preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup.

The rift traces back to Gambhir's July 2024 appointment, succeeding Rahul Dravid amid his own IPL-era history of on-field clashes with Kohli, including heated Kolkata Knight Riders-Royal Challengers Bengaluru encounters. A September 2024 sit-down interview aimed to bury the hatchet, with both emphasising Test cricket's primacy—ironic given the format's role in the current turmoil. Gambhir's early tenure saw India suffer a humiliating 0-3 home whitewash against New Zealand in October-November 2024, snapping a 12-year unbeaten streak, followed by a 1-3 Border-Gavaskar Trophy loss in Australia. Kohli aggregated just 190 runs in five tests, plagued by dismissals outside off, while Rohit managed 31 in five innings before self-benching for the finale.

In response, the BCCI issued a 10-point diktat post-Australia, mandating domestic cricket for all centrally contracted players unless injured—a direct nudge at the veterans' sporadic state appearances. Rohit returned to Mumbai's Ranji Trophy for the first time since 2015, scoring modestly, while Kohli's Delhi outing after over a decade yielded little. Relief came with the March 2025 Champions Trophy triumph under Rohit, where Kohli's Pakistan century and Rohit's final POTM award sparked jubilant "Hum koi retire nahi ho rahe hai" banter. Yet, abrupt Test retirements followed: Rohit on May 7 and Kohli on May 12—mere weeks before the England series—leaving the red-ball side rudderless and intensifying scrutiny on their white-ball futures.

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BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar, speaking at the NDTV World Summit in October 2025, remained non-committal on their 2027 spots, noting, "Two years from now, it's difficult to say... Younger players might take the spot." Rohit's subsequent ODI captaincy ouster in favour of Shubman Gill—despite his status as India's most successful 50-over skipper—further strained ties with Agarkar. Gambhir, meanwhile, endured two home Test whitewashes: 0-3 to New Zealand and 0-2 to South Africa (sans the duo), marking an unwanted record and drawing BCCI ire over his handling of seniors.

By December 2025, the ODI dressing room atmosphere had reportedly soured, with Gambhir and Kohli exchanging minimal words since the Australia tour and Rohit-Agarkar communication at a nadir. Kohli's post-Ranchi emphasis on "mental preparation" over excessive match practice appeared to counter Gambhir's domestic push, while Rohit agreed to Vijay Hazare Trophy duties, but Kohli demurred, citing his London-based life and visualisation routines. The BCCI, upset by fan trolling of Gambhir on social media, dispatched selector Pragyan Ojha to Ranchi as a mediator—speaking first to Kohli, then Rohit—but sources claim the duo rebuffed intervention, viewing it as unnecessary amid their form resurgence.

As India eyes a series sweep in Raipur on December 3, the BCCI contemplates an emergency summit post-South Africa ODIs, potentially involving Gambhir, Agarkar, Rohit, and Kohli to avert a Greg Chappell-era implosion. Experts warn that while white-ball dominance persists—with Rohit reclaiming the ODI batting No. 1 spot—the unresolved friction risks eroding team cohesion, with Gambhir's team-first ethos clashing against the veterans' legacy. For now, on-field harmony prevails, but the saga's shadow looms large over Indian cricket's transitional horizon.

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