Truth behind Navjot Sidhu’s viral statement urging BCCI to sack Gambhir and Agarkar, and hand back captaincy to Rohit

Former India cricketer and commentator Navjot Singh Sidhu has made headlines after a supposed statement of his went viral on social media. The post, which spread widely across various platforms, claimed that Sidhu had urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to remove chief selector Ajit Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir, and reinstate Rohit Sharma as India’s ODI captain.

The quote doing the rounds on social media read: “If India wants to win the 2027 World Cup, then BCCI should remove Ajit Agarkar and Gautam Gambhir as soon as possible and hand over the captaincy to Rohit Sharma again with full respect.”

What’s the truth behind this viral claim?

Sidhu himself has come out and slammed the fake social media post that falsely quoted him as calling for Gambhir and Agarkar to be removed from their roles. The viral post, which appeared just before the India vs Australia ODI series, claimed that Sidhu had demanded Rohit be reinstated as captain.

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Sidhu took to X to issue a strong response, writing, “Never said it, don’t spread fake news, never imagined it. Shame on you.”

Never said it , don’t spread fake news ,never imagined it. Shame on you https://t.co/qCZlwaUrwK

— Navjot Singh Sidhu (@sherryontopp) October 20, 2025

The controversy emerged amid an ongoing saga in Indian cricket. Rohit was recently removed as India’s ODI captain despite him expressing desire to lead the side until the 2027 Cricket World Cup. India’s Test captain Shubman Gill was handed the job by Agarkar and Gambhir, who have suggested that they are looking at him as a long-term prospect across all formats.

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Rohit’s removal also sparked speculation about his and Virat Kohli’s future in the team ahead of the next ODI World Cup, with many suggesting that both veterans could be sidelined if they fail to maintain consistent performances. Agarkar recently addressed the topic at the NDTV World Summit 2025, clarifying that no decision has been made yet regarding the duo’s World Cup participation.

“They are part of the squad at the moment in Australia. They are incredible players, but this is not the forum to harp on individual performances. Two years from now, it’s difficult to predict the situation. Who knows, younger players may emerge and claim those spots. Both are great players, and they will not be judged in every match. Once they start playing, we will assess the situation. It’s about winning trophies, not just scoring runs,” Agarkar said.

Rohit and Kohli's return to the national side has not been ideal as they failed to make an impact in the first ODI against Australia in Perth. Kohli was dismissed for a duck, while Rohit managed just 8 runs.