Overview
- Head coach Gautam Gambhir reiterated that batting orders in white‑ball cricket are overrated except for openers, prompting a measured endorsement from AB de Villiers, who called it a fine line that should not disrupt player roles.
- Robin Uthappa criticized Gambhir for not explicitly crediting Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli after the 2‑1 ODI series win and cautioned that excessive shuffling could backfire before the 2026 T20 World Cup.
- Harbhajan Singh urged the BCCI to make Rohit and Kohli the first names pencilled in for the 2027 ODI World Cup, citing their current form and big‑game experience.
- Yashasvi Jaiswal praised Rohit’s tough‑love guidance and Kohli’s on‑field advice, credited their presence for his maiden ODI century in Visakhapatnam, and said he will wait for his chance to play a T20 World Cup.
- Selection talk intensified around the opening slot, with reports indicating the team backs Shubman Gill to open over Sanju Samson even as scrutiny grows over Gill’s recent T20I returns.