As India’s captain, Rohit Sharma confirmed he will continue playing ODI cricket. Rohit Sharma declares
Rohit Sharma has announced his immediate retirement from Test cricket. As a result, India must name a new full-time skipper after the 2025 IPL. Their five-Test series in England begins at Headingley on June 20.
“Hello everyone, I want to let you know that I’m retiring from Test cricket,” Rohit said in a social media post on Wednesday night. “Wearing white for India has been a great honor. Thank you for your love and support. I will continue to play ODI cricket.”
Despite poor recent form, Rohit finishes his Test career with 4301 runs in 67 matches at an average of 40.57. He scored 12 centuries and 18 fifties. His highest score was 212 against South Africa in Ranchi in 2019.
Former India all-rounder and current BCCI president Roger Binny praised Rohit.
In a statement, Binny stated, “Mr. Rohit Sharma’s impact on Indian cricket transcends records and statistics.” “As a captain and a player, he instilled confidence and serenity in the team. He was a very unique player and leader because of his capacity to remain calm under duress and continuously prioritize the interests of the team over his own. Rohit Sharma declares Having someone like Rohit, who maintained the best standards of professionalism and sportsmanship, has been a blessing for Indian cricket. In addition to his outstanding playing record, he leaves behind a disciplined and unselfish culture that will motivate generations to come.
When asked about the future of senior pros Rohit and Virat Kohli, India’s head coach for all three international formats, Gautam Gambhir, stated as late as Tuesday that “They should be a part of the team until they are performing.” It is up to you to decide when to begin and when to finish. No coach, selector, or BCCI can tell you when to quit. If you perform, why quit at forty? You may play until forty-five, and who’s stopping you?”
Rohit’s decision follows a disastrous tour of Australia in December 2024 and January 2025, during which he averaged 10.93 from eight Test matches and only once reached 50, as well as a lackluster home series against Bangladesh and New Zealand late last year. “Rohit Sharma says India lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia 3-1 after New Zealand thrashed them 3-0 under his captaincy, even though India had won both Test matches against Bangladesh.”
During that Australian trip, Rohit missed the first and last Test matches. He was at home in India when his child was born, and he “stood down” during the last Test match in Sydney. He had emphasized at the time that he was not “going to take myself out of the game” and that it was simply a response to his bad batting form rather than a “retirement decision.” India’s current designated vice-captain, Jasprit Bumrah, captained the side in the first and last Test matches in Australia while Rohit was away.
“I sat out of this match because runs are not coming off my bat,” Rohit stated in an interview with Star Sports during the Test match. There is no assurance that runs won’t occur in the next five or two months. Cricket has taught me that life is changing every single second, minute, and day.
“I am confident in my ability to change things, but I also need to be realistic.” Therefore, what people write or say with a microphone, pen, or laptop won’t affect life. Rohit Sharma declares They are unable to determine when we should captain, when we should retire, or when we should sit out. I am a mature, sensible man with two children. Thus, I am aware of my needs in life.
After the selectors, working with the BCCI, mandated that contracted players participate in domestic cricket, Rohit played a one-off match for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy in January, just after returning from Australia. Rohit made 3 and 28 against Jammu & Kashmir, demonstrating his ongoing batting problems.
Rohit knew that winning the ICC event would not ensure his place in the Test format, even though the selectors chose to keep him as India’s captain for the Champions Trophy. Thus, Rohit decided to end his Test career even though he had led India to the championship in March.
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This development occurs just over a month before India’s five-test series against England begins on June 20. “In the upcoming weeks, fans and experts expect the selectors to choose the Test team; however, with Rohit out of the picture, Ajit Agarkar must prioritize selecting the next Test captain.”
Bumrah is a possibility, but it might be difficult to place that burden on a fast bowler, especially one who has recently recovered from an injury. “After taking on a lot of work during the Australia tour, doctors diagnosed him with a lower back stress response, which prevented him from bowling in the second innings of the last Test match in Sydney.“ After missing the Champions Trophy, Bumrah only started playing again in the IPL in April, this time for the Mumbai Indians.
