Rohit Sharma, Gautam Gambhir Not On The Same Page? Why India's Champions Trophy Squad Meeting Took So Long: Key Reasons

Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir reportedly clashed over key decisions during India's Champions Trophy 2025 squad selection. Scroll down to know the key details.

India's CT Squad: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently announced the Indian squad for the highly anticipated Champions Trophy 2025, with Rohit Sharma leading the team. However, what caught attention was the unusually long meeting held to finalize the squad, revealing some internal debates among the decision-makers, including head coach Gautam Gambhir, skipper Rohit Sharma, and chief selector Ajit Agarkar.

Gautam Gambhir, Rohit Sharma Not On The Same Page: The Vice-Captaincy Debate

- Gautam Gambhir wanted Hardik Pandya as Vice Captain.
- Agarkar and Rohit agreed for Shubman Gill.
- Gambhir wanted to include Sanju Samson as Wicketkeeper.
- Agarkar and Rohit were happy to go ahead with Rishabh Pant. pic.twitter.com/m1sMWAhwJo

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) January 19, 2025

A major point of contention during the meeting was selecting the vice-captain. Shubman Gill eventually secured the role, but reports indicate that Gambhir had backed Hardik Pandya for the position. Hardik, who served as vice-captain during the 2023 Cricket World Cup and 2024 T20 World Cup, has been excluded from leadership roles since Suryakumar Yadav was appointed full-time T20I captain.

Rohit and Agarkar, however, supported Gill’s appointment, citing his consistent performances and the need to groom a young leader for the future. Hardik's omission from the vice-captaincy could also be attributed to Axar Patel’s recent elevation as T20I vice-captain during the England series.

Wicketkeeper Dilemma: Samson vs. Pant

The second significant discussion revolved around the backup wicketkeeper. Gambhir pushed for Sanju Samson, who has a strong ODI record, including a century against South Africa in late 2023. However, Samson has been out of the national setup recently and was not included in Kerala’s Vijay Hazare Trophy squad.

Instead, the selectors favored Rishabh Pant, who has made a remarkable comeback after a 15-month hiatus following a near-fatal car accident. Despite playing only one ODI since his return, Pant’s explosive batting and previous performances tipped the scales in his favor. KL Rahul remains the primary wicketkeeper for the squad.

India's Champions Trophy Complete Finalized Squad

India's squad for 2025 Champions Trophy: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill (vc), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, and Ravindra Jadeja.

The decisions underline India’s approach to build a balanced side for a high-stakes ICC tournament. While Gill’s appointment as vice-captain suggests a forward-looking strategy, Pant’s inclusion highlights trust in proven match-winners. The debates also indicate a shift in leadership dynamics, as players like Hardik Pandya transition away from leadership roles. With the Champions Trophy on the horizon, these decisions could have significant implications for India’s campaign in the tournament, both on and off the field.