Say goodbye to Rohit Sharma, the Test captain is retiring 👋
Rohit Sharma's tenure as a Test opener appears to be concluded... - A blunt opinion from Manjrekar on the retirement of the notable batsman.
In a shocking turn of events, Rohit Sharma, our fearless Test opener, announced his retirement just before India's tour to England for the 5-match Test series starting June 20, 2025. This move signals the beginning of the new World Test Championship cycle.
The pressure mounting on Rohit after a series of poor performances, both at home against Bangladesh and New Zealand last year and in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, is now understood to be the reasons behind his decision. Sanjay Manjrekar, well-known for his outspoken opinions, had previously raised concerns about Rohit's fitness and performance, stating that his days as a Test opener might be numbered.
"164 runs in his last 15 innings. Average 10.9. With his current fitness levels...Rohit Sharma's days as Test opener were over." Manjrekar wrote on X.
Rohit penned an emotional farewell on Instagram, expressing his gratitude for the love and support received over the years. He wore the Indian colors in 67 tests and scored a total of 4,301 runs, with an average of 40.57 and 12 centuries under his belt.
Stepping down from the red-ball captaincy position in March 2022, Rohit's leadership led India to 12 wins, 9 losses, and 3 draws, while he himself scored 1,254 runs. In addition, he guaranteed India a place in the WTC final, although they unfortunately lost to Australia.
With Rohit's departure, many speculate who will take up the mantle of Test captain. Shubman Gill and Jasprit Bumrah are the top contenders for this prestigious role. While Shubman has no prior leadership experience, his name is currently leading the race[2]. On the other hand, Bumrah showed impressive leadership skills during Rohit's absence in the BGT 2024-25. However, fitness concerns and workload management may impact the BCCI's final decision.
Taking over from retired batting icons like Rahul Dravid, Sadagoppan Ramesh, and Wriddhiman Saha, new leadership challenges await in the world of Indian Test cricket.
Sources:
- Bumrah impresses during BGT absences
- Gill emerges as frontrunner for Test captaincy
The retirement of Rohit Sharma, the Test captain, in 2025 signals the start of a new World Test Championship cycle in Indian cricket. During his tenure, Rohit led India to 12 wins, 9 losses, and 3 draws. With Rohit stepping down, Shubman Gill and Jasprit Bumrah are the top contenders for the Test captaincy position. Shubman has emerged as the frontrunner despite lacking prior leadership experience, while Bumrah demonstrated impressive leadership skills during Rohit's absence in the BGT 2024-25. However, fitness concerns and workload management may affect the BCCI's final decision. Swashbuckling cricketer Virat Kohli, who has an average of 40.57 in tests, may be other potential candidates for the prestigious role. The departure of Rohit leaves a considerable void in the Indian cricket team, especially in tests, where he scored 4,301 runs in 67 matches with 12 centuries.
