According to a report in Cricblogger.com, Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir wanted Virat Kohli to return as Test captain after India’s 3-1 defeat in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Gambhir discussed the leadership role with Kohli while chief selector Ajit Agarkar spoke to him about his Test future.
Virat Kohli and former India captain Rohit Sharma both retired from Test cricket in May 2025Just before India’s tour of England. The legendary batsman finished his illustrious Test career with 9,230 runs and 30 centuries in 123 matches, ending his remarkable journey less than 800 runs short of the 10,000-run milestone.
There were differences of opinion between Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma during the Australia tour.
There were differences of opinion between Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma during India’s disappointing Border-Gavaskar Trophy campaign in Australia, reports Cricblogger.com. The report claims that Rohit was unhappy after being asked by the team management to bat in the middle order during the series.
The report said that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) took steps to reduce the tension between the two. However, the situation reportedly worsened after Rohit was ruled out of the final Test, although the former captain publicly stated that the decision was his own.
The report further claimed that when Rohit realized that he was no longer a part of India’s long-term plans, he decided to retire from Test cricket. Both Rohit and Virat Kohli were going through poor batting form before announcing their retirement.
Shubman Gill was made the Test captain after the retirement of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
While Rohit’s retirement was expected after losing his place in the team, Virat Kohli’s decision came as a surprise. He retired from Test cricket less than a year after stepping away from T20Is following India’s 2024 T20 World Cup win.
According to the report, Gautam Gambhir wanted Kohli to return as Test captain, while chief selector Ajit Agarkar was discussing the batsman’s future in this format. Different opinions had created uncertainty before Kohli’s decision to retire. He became India’s fourth highest run scorer in Test cricket.
After the retirement of Rohit and Kohli, the selectors appointed Shubman Gill as the new Test captain of India. Gill then led the young Indian team in a 2–2 drawn series against England in his first stint as captain.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma continued ODI career
Despite retiring from Test cricket, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will be available for ODI cricket. Both are expected to feature in India’s upcoming three-match ODI series against England, starting on July 14 at Edgbaston.
Kohli has returned to the ODI team after missing the home series against Afghanistan due to a hamstring injury. He suffered an injury at the end of IPL 2026, where he helped Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) win their second consecutive title.
Both the senior batsmen are expected to play important roles as India begin their preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Kohli also has an excellent ODI record in England, having scored 1,349 runs in 33 matches at an average of 51.88, which includes one century and 12 half-centuries.
