The former Indian opener, who played under Rahul Dravid in the early stages of his career, expressed reservations about Rohit's statements before the World Cup final.
Gautam Gambhir praised Rahul Dravid's coaching tenure, describing it as a successful one. However, he emphasized to captain Rohit Sharma that the team's ultimate goal is to win the World Cup for the country, rather than focusing on any individual player. Gambhir's remarks came in response to a question regarding Dravid's future as the head coach of the Indian team.
It is worth noting that Dravid's term as coach concluded after the ODI World Cup, and there are reports suggesting that he is unlikely to seek an extension. While Dravid was unable to end India's drought in ICC tournaments, having lost in two finals and a semi-final, he achieved significant success in bilateral series. As of now, India holds the top spot in the ICC rankings across all three formats.
Gambhir stated that Dravid's contract should undoubtedly be renewed if he desires to continue.
"Dravid's contract as head coach should be automatically renewed. The kind of cricket that India played throughout the World Cup, if you are going to judge a coach by just one match then it is a wrong precedent," he said on Sportskeeda.
The former Indian opener, who played under Rahul Dravid in the early stages of his career, expressed reservations about Rohit's statements before the World Cup final. Prior to the final against Australia, Rohit had stated that the team aimed to win the trophy for head coach Dravid, acknowledging his significant efforts in improving the players' performance.
However, the former opener had concerns regarding Rohit's remarks. He believed that such statements could potentially create unnecessary pressure on the team, diverting their focus from the game itself. While acknowledging Dravid's contributions, he emphasized the importance of maintaining a balanced mindset and concentrating solely on the match.
"The way he stood by the players in difficult times, especially during the T20 World Cup, where we had a good run up until that semifinal, where we lost. How he reacted to certain situations and informed the players was helpful. He wants to be part of this big occasion, and it's for us to do it for him," the Indian captain had said.
Gambhir expressed his disapproval of Rohit's statement to the media. The former opener cited the 2011 World Cup as an example, where several Indian players openly expressed their desire to win the tournament for Sachin Tendulkar.
"Every player, every coach wants to win the World Cup. If he wants a renewal then definitely he should be given that chance. What better than continuity? I would never understand one thing. It happened during our time in 2011 too. When you say that you want to win the World Cup an individual, doesn't matter who that is... this statement is not right.
"You are trying to win the World Cup for the entire country. And if you want to say such a thing then don't say it in the media. Keep it within yourself. The truth is, it is more important to win a World Cup for the nation. I was asked the same in 2011 when everyone said we were trying to win the World Cup for one individual, I said no I want to win the Cup for my country. I picked up the bat for my country. So Rohit probably shouldn't have said this.
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