Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir delivered a fitting reply to questions about captain Rohit Sharma’s international future after the skipper led the team to the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final with a win over Australia.

At a post-match press conference, Gambhir shifted focus to Rohit’s leadership and aggressive batting approach, when asked about his future with the bat.

Coach Gautam Gambhir’s Bold Reply 

In the conference, a journalist asked Gambhir, “How much cricket do you think he'll (Rohit Sharma) still play?” However, instead of replying with a timeline, Gambhir stressed that Rohit’s ‘fearless tempo’ sets the tone for the team.

The head coach also added that while experts and journalists look at numbers, coaches and teams dive deeper to look at the impact.

“If your captain bats with such intent, it signals courage to the dressing room. We evaluate impact, not stats,” Gambhir stated, dismissing critics who highlighted Rohit’s modest tournament numbers.

Captain Rohit Sharma’s Historic Feat

Notably, under Rohit’s full-time captaincy since 2022, India has reached every ICC tournament final, including the 2023 ODI World Cup, 2024 T20 World Cup, and now the Champions Trophy. Moreover, Tuesday’s semi-final win made Rohit Sharma the first captain in history to lead a team to finals across all ICC events.

While analysts point to Rohit Sharma’s dip in centuries over five years, the coach praised his shift to an aggressive role since the 2023 World Cup, easing pressure on the middle order, especially on slow Dubai pitches. Further, his recent ODI century against England in Cuttack in February also silenced doubts after a lean Test phase.