Gautam Gambhir and Ajit Agarkar greet each other before a pre-departure press conference.
Credit: Reuters Photo
New Delhi: Gautam Gambhir and Ajit Agarkar are extremely strong individuals, bordering on headstrong but their hearts are at right place.
Usually when two strong people come together, consequences aren't always favourable. But their combination as head coach and chairman of selectors will be remembered in history for ushering in "Aussie culture" where team is paramount.
It took six Test match defeats against New Zealand and Australia to get into action and with sacking of Rohit Sharma from India's ODI captaincy, the duo has laid down a marker, which a former BCCI office-bearer known for his subtle humour, termed it aptly: "It is a GA-AG' order".
There are three aspects of the decision taken jointly by Agarkar and Gambhir with the blessings of someone very powerful in Indian cricket ecosystem.
First, they are on same page that both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli aren't exactly in their scheme of things for the 2027 World Cup.
Second, Gambhir-Agarkar duo does not believe that Rohit-Kohli duo can sustain form (in case of Rohit fitness too) by only playing one international format sporadically, along with two months of IPL.
Last but not the least, a young all-format captain also gives Indian cricket board a chance to create a solid role model going into the next decade.
Hence Shubman Gill is also expected to take over the reins from Suryakumar Yadav after the T20 World Cup in India.
Result of the tournament will be immaterial as is the case with Rohit's triumph as Champions Trophy skipper. The cumulative result of these three aspects is that Rohit Sharma's international career is nearing end.
In case of Kohli, his fitness is unquestionable and his case might not be as bleak as Rohit's although both of them are in the same boat.
It could well be the case that Kohli also won't last the distance till 2027 but when compared with Rohit, Agarkar's selection committee feels that he still might have an outside chance.
For Gambhir and Agarkar, the principle is very basic: Stars don't make good teams but good teams create stars.
If one carefully heard Agarkar's press conference, it would be clear as daylight that obviously Rohit hasn't taken the decision all too well. But Agarkar is one such man, who doesn't beat around the bush.
"I mean that is a conversation between me and Rohit or us (selectors) and Rohit, but like I said of course it has been communicated," Agarkar's answer was pointed and he didn't sugar-coat anything.
While he said that he doesn't want to talk about 2027 World Cup, another precise answer about how difficult the decision was would provide a clearer picture.
"You have got to sometimes look at what is coming forward, where you stand as a team and eventually look at what is in the best interest of the team, whether it is now or maybe six months later, those are the calls that I suppose we have to make to put (things) in place ," Agarkar said.
Agarkar also said that there is no sample size of how one-format white ball players have performed going forward.
"Those are two really experienced guys who have been around for a long time, so they would perhaps find it a little bit alien just to play one format which is played the least, but they are probably (also) the guys to answer that and we will find out a bit more when we see them in Australia." Whether or not playing cricket makes a difference is something that only Kohli and Rohit can figure out, Agarkar feels.
"There is no doubt about their quality as players, whether not playing a lot of cricket makes a difference — one should ask them and we will find out when they play, — but it doesn't happen too many times.
"Even if it happens, a lot of the guys these days end up playing either Test cricket or T20Is which obviously in terms of matches is a lot more than one-day cricket. Whether it is a challenge or not, we will find out and they probably will be better equipped to answer that." As far as Gill is concerned, the burn-out factor is not even on Agarkar's mind looking at his age.
"Hopefully not. He (Gill) is still quite young, we saw what he did in England under immense pressure, so there were really positive signs there. "You have seen his record in one-day cricket as a batter, we hope there is no burn-out although it is true there is a lot of cricket coming thick and fast over the next few months in particular." Runs is the only currency right now for Rohit and Kohli to remain relevant in ODI scheme of things. Asked what the committee expects from the duo, Agarkar's reply was straight as an arrow.
"What they have been doing for years — try and score runs. I don't think that changes. We hope they keep doing it and you know you don't have to think too far at this point," he didn't say much but said it all.
Rohit Sharma's international career is reaching its final station but he needs to bow out on his own terms.