Rohit Sharma retires from Test cricket

In a shocking development, Rohit Sharma has announced his retirement from Test cricket after the Indian selectors reportedly decided to move on from the 38-year-old as captain for the upcoming England tour. The right-hand elegant batter played 67 Tests for India, scoring 4301 runs including 12 centuries and 18 fifties.

Rohit Sharma retires from Test cricket

In an Instagram story, Rohit Sharma announces his retirement from Test cricket. He wrote, “Hello everyone I would just like to share that I am retiring from Test cricket. It’s been an absolute honour to represent my country in whites. Thank you for all the love and support over the years. I will continue to represent India in the ODI format.”

Also Read | Rohit Sharma becomes first Mumbai Indians player to reach 6000 IPL runs

Rohit Sharma played a total of 67 Test matches for India and scored 4301 runs with an average of 40.57, including 12 hundreds and 18 half-centuries.

Just before Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from Test cricket, reports had emerged about him being removed as Test captain. According to The Indian Express, the national selectors had decided to appoint a new leader for the England series, moving on from Rohit as captain. However, the 38-year-old was still expected to travel with the team as a specialist batter.

“The selectors’ thought process is clear. They want a new leader for the England tour, and Rohit doesn’t fit in as a captain, especially considering his red-ball form. They want to groom a young leader for the next Test cycle, and the selection committee has informed the BCCI that Rohit won’t lead the team,” a BCCI source told Indian Express.

As a Test captain and player for the last five months, it has been so tough for Rohit Sharma, as under his captaincy, India failed to qualify for the World Test Championship Final for the first time, got whitewashed by New Zealand at home, and failed to retain the BGT trophy in Australia. In a total of 3 matches in BGT 2024-25, Rohit managed to score only 31 runs with an average of 6.20.