'Those guys are so hungry': Gautam Gambhir backs Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli to play massive role in Champions Trophy

Two of the most well-known figures in Indian cricket and important members of the team's batting order, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, are presently going through a period of uncertainty. Their potential retirement has been the subject of constant conjecture, particularly in light of India's recent struggles in Test matches against Australia and New Zealand. 

However, Gautam Gambhir, the head coach of India, says he has great faith in Rohit and Kohli and that they are not yet prepared to retire from the game. Both players will play crucial roles in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy, according to Gambhir.

He says that even when they get ready for a major tournament like the Champions Trophy, Rohit and Kohli continue to have a tremendous drive for victory and significantly contribute to the team's harmony.

"I think both Rohit and Virat, they add so much value to the dressing room. They add so much value to Indian cricket as well. They've got to play a massive role in the Champions Trophy. And I've said it before as well: those guys are so hungry; they want to play for the country. They have the passion to play for the country and deliver for the country," Gambhir told Star Sports during the Naman Awards.

For the first time in a decade, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli made their Ranji Trophy comeback after underwhelming performances against Australia and New Zealand. Regretfully, they had trouble getting into a rhythm. While Kohli was out for six in front of a sizable audience during the Delhi vs. Railways encounter, Rohit only managed three and twenty-eight runs in the Mumbai vs. J&K match.

India's top scorers from the most recent ODI World Cup are keen to return to a format in which they have been dominant for more than ten years, despite these recent defeats.

"Champions Trophy is a completely different challenge as compared to the 50-over World Cup because literally every game is a make-or-break, so you can't stop anywhere in this tournament. So hopefully, we're going to start off really well because ultimately, if you want to go on and win the competition, you have to win five games," he added.

India will begin their campaign against Bangladesh on February 20, but the highly anticipated match will be against Pakistan on February 23.

Also read| U19 Women's T20 World Cup: India beat South Africa by 9 wickets in final to win second consecutive title