India faced the defending champions at the Ekana Sportscity Stadium, and the home team took the batting crease for the first time in the tournament. Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma displayed his batting prowess in the initial overs, earning praise from Gautam Gambhir for his fearless approach. However, the former Indian cricketer didn’t shy away from highlighting Virat Kohli’s single-minded pursuit of centuries throughout the tournament.
Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli have maintained a strained relationship ever since their verbal spat in the IPL in 2013. These two fiery Delhi cricketers, known for their aggressive nature, were last involved in an unsavory altercation earlier this year.
Gautam Gambhir has been unafraid to criticize the PR and media surrounding Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni on numerous occasions. He has publicly lambasted media organizations that prioritize individual achievements over team success, even drawing the ire of some journalists from renowned agencies.
Rohit Sharma has been playing an aggressive brand of cricket in the opening overs of this year’s World Cup. His unselfish approach has provided India with strong starts in the four games they’ve won so far. While commending Rohit Sharma’s free-flowing batting style, Gautam Gambhir indirectly took a dig at Virat Kohli by saying, “One shouldn’t be fixated on centuries.”
As Rohit’s impressive scores appeared on the screen, Gautam Gambhir wasted no time in applauding him. Gambhir stated, “Rohit’s transformation has been remarkable because a selfless leader is one who leads by example. If you want your team to play positive cricket, you should lead the way.”
The left-handed batsman continued, “No PR or marketing agency can label you as a front-running leader. To be a true leader, you must demonstrate it on the field, and Rohit Sharma has done just that in this tournament. Even if Rohit Sharma isn’t the tournament’s top run-scorer, it won’t matter if India raises the trophy on November 19th.”
Gautam Gambhir said, "What Rohit Sharma is doing is a revolution in Indian cricket which no PR or market agency can do. Rohit is leading from the front. He is playing for the World Cup, not for the milestone." ( Star Sports).
— Jyran (@Jyran45) October 29, 2023
Gambhir bodied PR Star Sports on their platform.😠pic.twitter.com/WVlmQJlors
In a direct critique of Virat Kohli, Gautam Gambhir remarked, “One must decide whether they want to play for personal milestones like centuries or for the greater goal of winning the World Cup. If your objective is to secure hundreds, you can pursue personal achievements, but if your ambition is to claim the World Cup, you must play as a selfless leader, much like what Rohit is doing.”