Former India cricketer and TV pundit Navjot Singh Sidhu became the latest victim of viral misinformation on social media, after a fake post falsely attributed a controversial quote to him regarding India’s coaching and selection leadership.
The fabricated post, circulated by an X user named Jod Insane, featured a photo of BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir, and falsely claimed that Sidhu had said:
“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.”
Sidhu promptly refuted the claim on X (formerly Twitter), posting a sharp response that went viral itself:
“Never said it, don’t spread fake news, never imagined it. Shame on you.”
The original post was deleted shortly after Sidhu’s rebuttal.
India’s ODI loss triggers social media frenzy
The timing of the fake post was no coincidence—it surfaced just after India’s disappointing loss to Australia in the opening ODI of the three-match series in Perth. Playing their first game since winning the ICC Champions Trophy earlier this year, the Shubman Gill-led Indian side slumped to a seven-wicket defeat in a rain-affected match.
The match also marked the much-anticipated return of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to international cricket after a seven-month break. However, neither veteran had the comeback fans hoped for—Kohli fell for a duck, while Rohit managed just eight runs before being dismissed by Josh Hazlewood. India limped to 136/9 in their 50 overs, with Australia chasing down the revised target of 131 in just 21.1 overs.
Agarkar addresses 2027 World Cup outlook for Kohli and Rohit
As the debate around India’s leadership and team composition grows louder ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup, chief selector Ajit Agarkar weighed in with a measured response about the long-term prospects of senior players like Kohli and Rohit.
“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. It’s not like if they score three hundreds in the Australia series, they will automatically play the 2027 World Cup. We have to take the overall situation into account,” Agarkar said.
Under Gambhir and Agarkar, India’s recent record speaks volumes
While social media swirled with criticism, India’s recent run under Gautam Gambhir and Ajit Agarkar paints a different picture. Since Agarkar took over as chief selector in June 2023, the Men in Blue have enjoyed one of their most successful phases in recent memory—winning the 2023 Asia Cup, finishing runners-up in the 2023 ODI World Cup, and lifting the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Under Gambhir, who replaced Rahul Dravid as head coach in 2024, India added the 2025 Champions Trophy and a second consecutive Asia Cup title to their cabinet. Agarkar’s contract has already been extended to mid-2026, while Gambhir is signed through the 2027 World Cup.
Fake news and cricket: A growing concern
Sidhu’s situation isn’t unique. In recent years, Indian cricketers—both active and retired—have repeatedly found themselves targeted by false attributions and doctored statements. Names like Sunil Gavaskar, Virat Kohli, Mohammed Shami, and R Ashwin have all had to debunk viral quotes falsely linked to them.
As Indian cricket continues its transitional phase, the growing influence of digital narratives—and their capacity to mislead—will be something the sport’s leadership and fans alike must navigate with caution.
