Differences in opinion between Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir turned into a full-blown internal rift, and Ravichandran Ashwin had to pay the price for it before the former Indian captain was forced to retire and removed from his position.
A Revsportz journalist, Rohit Juglan, revealed that Ravichandran Ashwin was ready to call time on his Test career after playing his 100th match against England in Dharamsala in March 2024. He had planned to end his Test journey in Dharamsala, but only if MS Dhoni attended that game.
However, Dhoni couldn’t make it, and that changed the script entirely. Rohit Sharma, India’s captain across the formats at the time, refused to let Ashwin walk away. The skipper was determined that India’s premier off-spinner should play one last time in Australia.
Rohit Sharma forced Ravichandran Ashwin to delay his Test retirement that sparked a rift with Gautam Gambhir
Rohit Sharma personally “forced” Ashwin to postpone his Test retirement and join the India squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. However, this decision did not sit well with the Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir, who was pushing for a transition phase and wanted fresh faces in the Test setup after taking charge as head coach post-T20 World Cup 2024.
The disagreement between Rohit and Gambhir reportedly deepened after this episode, creating a massive rift between the captain and coach. Their different views on team selection, leadership style, and handling senior players added fuel to the fire and disturbed the dressing room atmosphere.
It is being said that these differences played a key role in Rohit’s eventual removal as India’s Test and ODI captain. The seasoned opener’s removal came with his retirement from the format, as Gambhir wanted young guns for the traditional format of the game. Also, Ashwin ended up retiring in the middle of BGT 2024-25.
When Ravichandran Ashwin created history in his 100th Test
Notably, Ashwin’s performance in his 100th Test at Dharamsala was remarkable. The former Indian off-spinner took nine wickets in the match-four in the first innings and five in the second, finishing with combined figures of 9/128 against England.
It was the best bowling figure by any cricketer in their milestone 100th Test, surpassing Muttiah Muralitharan’s record of 9/141. Ashwin also etched his name in history as the first bowler ever to take a five-wicket haul in both his debut and 100th tests.
Ravichandran Ashwin urges Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to prove commitment ahead of ICC World Cup 2027
Meanwhile, with the ICC World Cup 2027 just two years away, Ravichandran Ashwin has sent a strong message to Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. He suggested his former teammates stay active and prove their commitment to the game and team. Both Virat and Rohit, who have retired from T20Is and Tests, are now active only in ODIs, but their future in the team remains uncertain.
Ashwin believes that since India will play only a few ODIs before the ICC World Cup 2027, they should take part in India A games and domestic tournaments to stay sharp and show the selectors they still mean business, with younger players pushing for spots.
He said on ‘Ash Ki Baat,’ “They should be told, ‘If you don’t play this series, then you don’t fit in the plan.”