Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir reflected on the subject of retirement following the decision of two of the biggest names in modern Indian cricket, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, called time on their Test careers. Gambhir reiterated that the decision to hang up one’s boots is a very personal decision and one that goes beyond the measure of runs a player is able to produce. Gambhir, who led Kolkata Knight Riders to the IPL crown in 2012 and 2014 before mentoring the Kolkata giants to yet another title in the year 2024 ahead of his step up as the head coach of the Indian national cricket team, cited moments in his own career to support his opinions on retirement. “Yes, I got 3 ducks in 2014 and we ended up winning IPL, and I got 4 half-centuries in a row after that as well,” Gambhir recalled. “So that’s the kind of profession we come from, that every time, every day you’ve got a success or a failure,” the 43-year-old said. GG, as he is fondly known, alluded to the uncertain nature of sports as something cricketers need to contend with on a regular basis. “Its not like our graph keeps on going up, it is filled with uncertainty,” the head coach added. “And that’s why it’s always exciting to be living on the edge, that living with uncertainty,” he elucidated. Gambhir explained how the decision to bid adieu to the sport goes beyond numbers, and multiple factors such as the player’s motivation play a crucial role. “So I, as I mentioned, that retirement when it’s time for you to go, is something which is not only about scoring runs. It’s not only about how you’re batting, It’s not only about where your future lies,” the former Indian opener said. “It’s also about how much fire is there inside you, whether you’ve got the motivation tomorrow to wake up at 6:00 in the morning and try and be the best you can,” the southpaw added. “There are so many different things that goes inside a human mind and as in a sportsmans life, which probably makes him take that decision. And that’s the reason why I say that retirement is a very very individual decision,” Gambhir concluded.