Shahid Afridi Targets Gautam Gambhir, Praises Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli

New Delhi: Former Pakistan cricket captain Shahid Afridi has once again taken aim at India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir, continuing the long-standing rivalry between the two cricketing stars. Known for their on-field clashes during their playing careers, both Afridi and Gambhir have often criticized each other via social media and interviews since retiring from professional cricket.

Backing Rohit and Virat
In a recent interview, Afridi praised India’s batting stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli while commenting on Gambhir’s coaching. Afridi said, “It is true that Rohit and Virat are the backbone of India’s batting lineup. Judging by their performance in the recent ODI series, one can confidently say that they can continue playing until the 2027 World Cup. These star players must be managed carefully. When India plays against weaker teams, new players can be tried while giving Rohit and Virat some rest.”

Regarding Gambhir, Afridi added, “When Gautam started his role, it seemed like he believed that his thinking and decisions were always correct. But over time, it became evident that one is not always right.”

Rohit Breaks Afridi’s Record
Afridi’s record for the most sixes in ODIs was recently surpassed by Rohit Sharma during the series against South Africa. Commenting on this, Afridi said, “Records are made to be broken, and I am happy that the player I have always admired has broken my record. My record for the fastest century stood for almost 18 years, and eventually, it was broken. This is the nature of cricket: one player creates a record, and another comes to surpass it.”

Afridi’s remarks highlight the competitive spirit of cricket while acknowledging the achievements of India’s top players and reflecting on his observations of Gambhir’s approach as head coach.