Rohit Sharma has announced his retirement from Test cricket, just hours after reports indicated he would lose the captaincy of India’s red-ball team. The 38-year-old cricketer, who stepped down from T20 international cricket after leading India to victory at last year’s World Cup, will continue to represent the country in one-day internationals.
In an Instagram post, Sharma stated, “Hello everyone, I would 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.”
Reports from Indian media suggested that national selectors were planning to appoint a new captain for the upcoming five-Test series in England, which marks the beginning of a new World Test Championship cycle. This move comes due to concerns about Sharma’s recent form.
In his last three series, he averaged just 10.50 in two games against Bangladesh, 15.16 in three matches against New Zealand, where India was whitewashed 3-0, and 6.20 in three games in Australia. Although Jasprit Bumrah led the team in the two matches Sharma missed in Australia, 25-year-old batter Shubman Gill is seen as the most likely long-term replacement.
Sharma retires with a career Test average of 40.57; however, in his last eight appearances over the past year, he managed only an average of 10.93, with a top score of 52. This decline led him to drop himself from the fifth and final Test in the recent series in Australia.
Sharma was appointed captain in 2022 following Virat Kohli’s resignation and led the team in 24 matches, winning half of them. Until Wednesday, there had been no indication that he was considering retirement, despite the uncertainty surrounding his future as captain.
Last month, he looked forward to the England series during a podcast called Beyond 23, hosted by former Australia cricketer Michael Clarke. He mentioned that if his key bowlers were fit, “we will have a great season. I know the cricket [England] are playing these days, so it’ll be a good challenge for us.”
An unnamed source from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) told The Indian Express: “The selectors’ thought process is clear. They want a new leader for the England tour, and Rohit doesn’t fit the bill as captain, especially considering his red-ball form. They aim to groom a young leader for the next Test cycle, and the selection committee has communicated to the BCCI that Rohit won’t lead the team.”
When asked about Sharma’s potential retirement on Tuesday, Gautam Gambhir, India’s coach for all three international formats, stated, “When you start and when you end is your individual decision. No coach, no selector, no BCCI can tell you when you should call it quits. If you perform, you can play until 45; who’s stopping you?”