Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma starred with the bat in India’s 2-1 ODI series win over South Africa recently. Kohli won the Player of the Series for his 302 runs with two centuries and one fifty in the series, while Rohit made 146 runs with two fifties.

The attention swiftly shifted to the post-match news conference, where head coach Gautam Gambhir rarely acknowledged Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma, the two hitters who defined the series.  

The absence piqued the interest of former India international and Gambhir's former teammate Robin Uthappa, whose comments have since sparked widespread debate among fans and pundits.

“What I found surprising is the post-match of that series, in the press conference, I didn't see Gautam giving credit to either Rohit or Virat. Here are a couple of guys who've batted out of their skins and shown us how good they are and how good they can be. They reduced all kinds of doubts and shut down any naysayers about what they actually can do and will do for India when they are in the right kind of form. That felt strange,” Uthappa said on his YouTube channel.

The snub in the press conference comes when there are rumors of a rift between Gambhir and Kohli. TV visuals showed Kohli apparently ignored Gambhir after his century in the first ODI in Ranchi.

Gambhir, for his part, used the news conference to primarily discuss team themes and long-term plans, with little direct mention of the senior pair. Uthappa called this an uncommon oversight, especially given the significance of Rohit and Kohli's contributions.

Despite retiring from Test cricket earlier this year and withdrawing from T20Is following the previous World Cup, they continue to underpin India's 50-over goals, fueling conjecture over their roles in the 2027 ODI World Cup.

Rohit and Kohli's form has now propelled them to the top of the ICC ODI batting rankings, with Kohli moving up to No. 2 following his record-breaking performance in South Africa and closing in on the top spot he last held in March 2021.