India’s Test cricket captain and star batter Rohit Sharma has decided to bid adieu to the longest format in the game, according to a Times of India report.
Rohit is said to play his last game in Test cricket in Sydney, which will coincide with the last game of the five-match Border Gavaskar Trophy series. India is trailing 1-2, and could lose the trophy if they fail to equalise in the final game.
The scenario, however, was very different when the series started. India, on the back of strong performances from opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, former skipper Virat Kohli and stand in captain Jasprit Bumrah, trounced Australia to take a 1-0 lead in the series. Rohit, who became a father for the second time, missed the match as he was in paternity leave.
Ever since the captain came back, the team looked a bit out of order, even with consistent performances from several players. For example, Bumrah, Rohit’s deputy, has picked up 30 wickets in 4 matches, including three five-wicket hauls. Rohit, on the other hand has scored 31 runs in three games.
To make matters worse, the Indian skipper promoted himself at the top of the order, which forced the in-form KL Rahul to play one slot lower at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in the fourth Test, which Indian lost.
Rohit’s move, which has been criticised as selfish, backfired massively, as both neither the Indian skipper and Rahul failed to perform.
Now, there’s a debate going on about his place in the playing XI for the final Test.
The TOI report says, “Rohit would undoubtedly like to convince selectors to allow him to stay for the World Test Championship (WTC) final, should India pull off a miracle and make it there. However, if they don’t, Sydney is destined to be Rohit’s last dance.”
While Rohit has been India’s batting mainstay in the shorter formats, even leading the country to a famous win in the ICC T20 World Cup earlier this year, his numbers have been underwhelming in white clothes.
His Test average in 2024 was in the mid 20s. In the last 14 Tests, Rohit has scored only two centuries and an equal number of half-centuries.
With newer players waiting in the wings and youngsters like Jaiswal and Reddy showing promise, the older players will have to make way for the newer ones, and Rohit might just be the start.
