Former India cricketer Manoj Tiwary has alleged that head coach Gautam Gambhir played a role in Rohit Sharma’s removal as India’s ODI captain, suggesting that chief selector Ajit Agarkar may have been “influenced” in taking the decision.
Tiwary, who has had a long-standing rivalry with Gambhir, said Rohit was disrespected by the manner in which the captaincy was taken away from him. Rohit had already stepped down from T20 internationals in June 2024 and retired from Test cricket in May last year, but continued to be a key figure in ODIs as he targeted the 2027 World Cup.
However, when India’s squad for the ODI series against Australia was announced in October, Shubman Gill was named as the new captain, a decision that surprised many given that Rohit had led India to the ICC Champions Trophy title in his final match as captain.
While acknowledging that Agarkar is an independent decision-maker, Tiwary said such a major call could not have been taken without inputs from the head coach.
“I don’t know what the main reason was. Ajit Agarkar is a strong personality and a decision-maker. He wouldn’t hesitate to take such steps. But whether someone influenced him to fire the gun from his shoulder is something we need to look at,” Tiwary told Sports Today.
“A lot happens behind the scenes. Naturally, the coach’s inputs would be there. You can’t make such a decision alone. Both are equally responsible for whatever decision was taken,” he added.
Tiwary also said Rohit’s removal from the captaincy has dampened his interest in watching India’s ODI matches, despite the presence of senior players like Virat Kohli. He noted that Rohit no longer appears as animated on the field as he once was.
“The Rohit we used to see — the one making statements like ‘garden boys’ — seems to have taken a step back,” he said.
Questioning the logic behind the decision, Tiwary said it made little sense to doubt Rohit’s leadership or intent. While he accepted that a transition to Gill was inevitable, he felt it should have been handled more sensitively, possibly allowing Rohit to continue as captain for a longer period.
“If I’m being brutally honest, I’ve lost interest in watching ODIs. When a T20 World Cup-winning and Champions Trophy-winning captain is removed and the responsibility is handed to a new player without clarity, it feels unnecessary,” he said.
“I’ve played with Rohit and didn’t like how it unfolded. It was disrespectful to a cricketer who has given so much to the game. The lack of clarity has only led to controversies.”
Tiwary further argued that Rohit’s track record should have put any doubts about his future to rest.
“He is a proven captain who has won two ICC trophies. We narrowly missed out in 2023 — on another day, things could have been different. Questioning whether he could play till the 2027 World Cup means doubting his ability, which is baffling,” he said.
“When someone who has scored three double hundreds in ODIs is doubted, it defies cricketing logic. He played selflessly in 2023 and made a statement. Removing him as captain was a big mistake. There is no cricketing logic behind it.”
