Individual glory can’t hide series loss: Gautam Gambhir fires shots at Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma

India National Cricket Team head coach Gautam Gambhir once again made headlines with his fiery take on their recent tour of Australia, as he took a sharp dig at the senior duo of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli over the ODI series loss to the hosts.

The Men in Blue managed to clinch the five-match T20I series 2-1, with the first and last games washed out in Canberra and Brisbane; the three-match ODI series defeat didn’t sit well with Gambhir. He was not really impressed by the hype around Rohit and Kohli’s performance.

Gautam Gambhir takes dig at Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma after ODI series loss in Australia

The Indian head coach has made it clear that individual milestones can’t hide the disappointment of the ODI series loss. It was a direct attack on Kohli and Rohit, as Shubman Gill lost his first series as India’s ODI captain. Notably, the former Indian captain failed to perform in the first ODI.

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While Kohli was dismissed for a duck, Rohit could manage only 8 runs, and Australia won the first game by seven wickets via the DLS method in Perth. However, the former Indian captain bounced back in the second ODI, scoring a stunning fifty, but Kohli was yet again dismissed for a duck, and the touring side lost the game by two wickets at the Adelaide Oval.

However, Rohit and Kohli turned things around in the final ODI at the SCG. The ‘Hitman’ scored his 50th international hundred to help India thrash Australia in the final ODI by nine wickets in Sydney. The unbeaten partnership of 168 between Rohit (121*) and Virat Kohli (74*) led India to their target of 237 with 69 balls to spare in Sydney.

Gautam Gambhir hits out at ‘Hype’ around Virat Kohli-Rohit Sharma heroics in final ODI

While reviewing India’s performance in the ODI series against Australia, Gautam Gambhir has lashed out at Kohli and Rohit as well as the hype around their performances in the final game. The head coach told them that cricket isn’t about personal achievements but about results that matter for the nation.

Gautam Gambhir said in a video shared by BCCI on its official website: “Look, I don't think so honestly (commendable performance). I think I've always been a believer that it's not about the individual performances. Yes, I can be very happy with the individual performances. Yes, and I will always remain happy with individual performance, but ultimately, it's a loss to the ODI Series.”

The coach added, “That's the bottom line, and I can never celebrate a series loss as a coach. As a player, I can appreciate individuals, but as a coach, I think it is my moral responsibility that we as a nation and we as individuals should never, never celebrate a series loss. Ultimately, we are representing the country. Yes, the T20 series was different. We won the series.”

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Gautam Gambhir stresses learning over celebration after India’s T20I series win in Australia

Reflecting on India’s T20I series win, Gambhir said that there were plenty of positives but also important lessons to take forward. He emphasized that the focus isn’t just on the T20I series win but on preparing for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026.

Gambhir believes that the team still has some way to go, but he is confident that India will be in the right frame and form by the time the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 arrives.