A fabricated social media post falsely attributed to former Indian cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu, urging the BCCI to sack Gautam Gambhir and Ajit Agarkar and reinstate Rohit Sharma as captain, has gone viral, prompting a strong denial from Sidhu himself. The fake quote circulated on X (formerly Twitter), claimed Sidhu said, "If India wants to win the 2027 ODI World Cup, the 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 swiftly responded to the misinformation, stating, "Never said it, don't spread fake news, never imagined it. Shame on you". He made it clear that the viral quote was entirely fabricated.

The incident occurred amidst a period of significant attention on the Indian cricket team, particularly following the return of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to international cricket after a six-month absence. Rohit Sharma had been replaced by Shubman Gill as ODI captain earlier in October, a move that surprised many. While Rohit led India to the Champions Trophy title earlier in 2025, selectors chose to transition to a younger captain.

The fake quote also circulated after India's loss to Australia in the first ODI under Shubman Gill's captaincy. This loss, combined with the recent captaincy change, has fueled debate among fans, some of whom desire to see Rohit Sharma continue as captain until the 2027 World Cup.

Gautam Gambhir, who assumed the role of India's head coach earlier in the year, has faced both praise and criticism. While some credit his no-nonsense approach and strategic thinking for instilling discipline within the team, others have alluded to "inner selection politics," often without providing concrete evidence.

The fabricated statement and its subsequent denial by Sidhu have highlighted the prevalence of misinformation on social media and the need for caution when sharing unverified posts. Fans have urged others to verify facts before believing or sharing information online.

Despite the online controversy, on-field action continued as Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli returned to international cricket in Perth. However, both players struggled to make an impact in the first ODI against Australia. Rohit Sharma scored 8 runs off 14 balls, while Kohli was dismissed for a duck. Australia won the match by seven wickets.