Rohit Sharma retires from Tests after selectors decide to remove him as captain

“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,” Rohit posted on social media. “Thank you for all the love and support over the years. I will continue to represent India in the ODI format.”

(LEFT) Rohit Sharma announced his retirement through his Instagram Stories; (RIGHT) Rohit seen during India’s tour of Australia. (PHOTOs: Rohit Sharma Instagram; AP)

Selectors’ decision to move on from Rohit as captain was not driven by a need for transition or to cull out aging players, but understood to be based on Rohit’s performances and his form in red-ball cricket.

READ MORE: Shubman Gill emerges as frontrunner for India Test captaincy after Rohit Sharma steps down

This newspaper had reported in March how the board was keen on Rohit to lead on the England tour after his success in the ICC Champions Trophy. Rohit, too, on a recent appearance on former Australian captain Michael Clarke’s podcast, ‘Beyond 23’, had talked about his excitement in leading an attack with Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj in England. The selectors had a series of discussions last month over Rohit’s future in the Indian Test team, and also deliberated on the issue in Mumbai on Tuesday, before sharing their vision with the BCCI.

“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 source in the Indian board had informed this newspaper before Rohit announced his decision.

READ MORE: Rohit Sharma announces retirement from Test cricket; will continue to play for India in ODIs

It is understood that the decision-makers didn’t want to repeat the lack of stability seen during India’s tour of Australia. Rohit had struggled in that series, averaging just 6.20 in five innings and also dropped himself for the final Test. In the Test series prior to that, against New Zealand at home late last year, he averaged just 15.16 in three Tests.

Rohit had averaged just 6.20 in five innings and also dropped himself for the final Test during India’s tour to Australia. (AP)

Considering his recent red-ball form, the selectors were hesitant in making him the captain. As a specialist batsman, he could have been dropped from the playing XI if performances didn’t stack up, but it would have got complicated if he was the captain. It could also have had an adverse effect on the team, those in the know say, as was felt on the Australia tour.

Rohit Sharma’s poor recent form

Rohit didn’t travel to Australia last year for the first Test in Perth due to the birth of his second child and Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul opened the innings. When he returned for the second Test, Rohit demoted himself in the batting order, then returned as opener for the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne, before dropping himself from the match in Sydney.

India had won the first Test under Bumrah’s captaincy but went on to lose the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. India had also lost the home series to New Zealand 0-3 under Rohit.

Rohit averaged 40.57 from 67 Tests. That dropped to 31.01 in Tests outside India. He averaged 24.38 in Australia and 16.63 in South Africa but the average jumped to 44.66 in England. As an opener, he averaged nearly the same (44.54) in Tests in England.

On May 6, head coach Gautam Gambhir had said any decision regarding Rohit’s future in the team would be taken by the selectors.

“First things first, a coach’s job isn’t selecting the team. It is the job of the selectors to select. The coach only selects the 11 who will play a match. Neither those who coached before me were selectors nor am I a selector,” Gambhir said at ABP News’ ‘India At 2047′ Summit.

When pressed further about the veterans’ (Rohit and Virat Kohli) future, Gambhir said no player should be pressed into retirement.

“Till the time they are performing, they should be a part of the team. 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, then why 40, you can jolly well play till 45, who’s stopping you?” he said.

It remains to be seen whether Rohit and fellow veteran Virat Kohli remain in the fray in the lead-up to the next ODI World Cup, in southern Africa in 2027.

“That will depend on performance. Only that can ensure their selection. And what should I say about their performance? The world saw how they performed in the Champions Trophy,” Gambhir had said.