Fake Navjot Singh Sidhu Quote Criticising Gambhir, Agarkar Shared Amid India-Australia ODI Series

Claim

A post on X claims that former Indian cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu slammed BCCI chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar and Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir, saying: “If India wants to win the 2027 ODI 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.”

The post, which has gained over 261K views, circulated widely during the ongoing India vs Australia ODI series, a time when speculation about the future of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli was already trending.

Fact

Newschecker found no credible source or media report confirming that Navjot Singh Sidhu made such a statement.

No Credible Reports Support the Viral Claim

A keyword search for “Navjot Singh Sidhu Gambhir Agarkar” yielded no authentic coverage of Sidhu criticising the duo. Instead, a Times of India report dated October 20, 2025, debunked the quote as fake. The report stated that the false post had surfaced before the India–Australia series and wrongly attributed the comment to Sidhu.

Sidhu Himself Called the Quote ‘Fake’

Following the viral post, Sidhu publicly denied the statement on his official X handle on October 20, 2025, writing: “Never said it, don’t spread fake news, never imagined it. Shame on you.”

Sidhu’s reaction was widely reported by NDTV, India Today, and Hindustan Times, all confirming that the viral quote was fabricated. The original post was deleted soon after Sidhu’s response.

Sources
Navjot Singh Sidhu’s X post denying the quote, October 20, 2025
NDTV report, October 20, 2025
Times of India report, October 20, 2025

FAQs

1. Did Navjot Singh Sidhu really criticise Gautam Gambhir and Ajit Agarkar?
No. Sidhu did not make any such comment. The viral quote is fake and has been debunked by major media outlets.

2. What did Sidhu say about the viral post?
Sidhu called out the post on X, saying, “Never said it, don’t spread fake news, never imagined it. Shame on you.”

3. How did the fake quote go viral?
The fabricated quote circulated during the India–Australia ODI series, coinciding with speculation about Team India’s leadership.