Former India cricketer R Ashwin has shared an interesting take on the viral videos of Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir laughing and talking amicably during the tense India-England ODI series.
These videos were shared on social media when Gambhir and Rohit were standing on the balcony of the Lord’s ground during the third and final ODI on July 19. However, R Ashwin stated that seeing Gambhir and Rohit laughing together doesn’t mean all is well between the duo.
Since last year, there have been allegations of a falling out between Gambhir and Rohit, which is typically characterized as a power struggle between the former captain and the head coach.
According to other sources, Gambhir and top selector Ajit Agarkar informed Rohit that he was no longer part of their plans for the 2027 World Cup.
However, Rohit and Gambhir were spotted laughing a few times on the field and on the Lord's balcony concurrently with these damaging reports. Some claimed that the two had "sorted" the issue.
According to Ashwin, the true emotions are rarely expressed in a professional setting such as the Indian men's cricket team because all players and staff are aware that cameras are watching them.
“Everyone is a professional. Everyone knows there’s a camera in front of them. You don’t fight like children in front of the camera. In fact, in a professional setup, in a professional environment, they won’t even fight. If we feel this [relationship] is not happening, we’ll talk less, and we don’t fight. It’s better to avoid confrontations, right? Why keep confrontations? If you can perform, who can stop you? Virat performed, Rohit performed—job done. Now, who can say anything?” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
Similar photos of Gambhir and Virat Kohli being amiable in public have sent conflicting messages, but their relationship is reportedly chilly.
Kohli’s good form has mostly ensured his place in the India ODI setup for the World Cup, but Rohit Sharma has not been so lucky. However, his 138 in the recent third ODI between England and India at Lord’s on Sunday might have bought him some more time.
