Rohit Sharma to retire after IND vs AUS test series: Rumours or truth?

Once crowned for all his glorious hitting, of late, Rohit Sharma has been under more fire than usual for the dismal he has turned in during the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) with Australia. All these repeated failures have dented the stability of the team, raising further queries about his future in the longest format of the game.

Disappointing statistics in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 

So far in the BGT series, Rohit Sharma’s performances have been really pathetic, to put it mildly. In the second Test at number six, he scored only 3 runs in the first innings off 23 balls and 6 off 15 in the second. Worse again, in his next Test, he succumbed to a mere 10 runs in the first innings off 27 balls. In desperate times like this, Rohit Sharma suddenly felt compelled to open the innings in the fourth Test, sending KL Rahul down the order to three. The whole plan backfired horrendously because Rohit Sharma was out for a mere 3 runs after 5 balls. 

Legendary former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar was in consideration while commentating on a live broadcast on 7Cricket: “Tough times for him. There will be a second innings and two more in Sydney. Now questions will be asked if he doesn’t score in those three innings.” Indeed, it has left India floundering at the top order because Sharma’s innings anchoring ability has proven inadequate.

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Aging Concerns?

At 38, Rohit Sharma’s age is weighing heavier than ever in the debates concerning his future. On the back of his erratic form recently, there were many voices calling for him to quit Test captaincy and settle for leading the team in one-day cricket only. Drawing parallels with Gautam Gambhir’s bold decision to drop himself during a lean IPL phase, some experts believe that Sharma should consider a similar move for the betterment of the team.

Former cricketer and selector Krishnamachari Srikkanth had earlier said that a poor BGT showing could well see Sharma himself retire from Test cricket before the selectors are forced to make that tough call. On his YouTube channel, Srikkanth said, “If Rohit Sharma doesn’t do well, I think he himself will retire from Test cricket, for all you know. He will play ODIs only. He has already left T20I cricket. We have to keep in mind that he is also aging.” Criticism from the Greats

Ricky Ponting, former captain of Australia, was harsh in his words about Sharma’s dismissal in this series. Analyzing his approach, Ponting said, “That’s just a lazy, not switched on, not up for the moment type of shot. If you’re going to survive against this Australian attack, you’ve got to be switched on.” The remarks highlighted Sharma’s apparent lack of intensity and focus, which are critical to succeeding against a potent Australian bowling attack.

A Transition in the Offing?

Reports say Ajit Agarkar, chairman of the national selection committee, is in Melbourne and may have discussed the way forward with Rohit Sharma. The team is at a very important transition phase, and the decisions taken by Sharma may well define the course it will take.

The major call that the team is debating is to ask Sharma to make way for an in-form player like KL Rahul or Yashasvi Jaiswal to firm up the batting lineup. Both have given enough hints that they might be considered important elements in key slots for India to regain dominance in Test cricket.

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Challenge Ahead 

With all those criticisms, nothing denied the fantastic legacy of Rohit Sharma the cricketer. Being very exemplary in contributing towards the Indian cricketing arena with white-ball formats and holding good leadership qualities which directed the team from numerous problems. Probably now might be the right time to look into his role within the Test team introspectively and make some decisions based on what feels correct for him or generally, Indian cricket.

As India prepares for the Sydney Test, all eyes are set on Sharma to stage another comeback or to retreat from the longer format and know his strengths in limited-overs cricket. Well, whatever it is, the whole cricketing fraternity holds its breath as it waits for his next move.

FAQs

Q1: Why is Rohit Sharma being monitored in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy?

He has not been able to perform well and has not been able to score enough runs throughout the series and has had poor performances in the important matches where he was expected to have run on the board of expectations which raised questions about form and future in test cricket.

Q2: Who did Rohit Sharma replace in the batting lineup for the series?

Sharma came in as an opener in the fourth Test, which meant KL Rahul was pushed to number three. However, the experiment did not work. 

Q3: Has Rohit Sharma retired from T20I cricket?

Yes, to concentrate more on ODIs and Test matches, Rohit Sharma has withdrawn from T20I cricket. 

Q4: What do experts say about Sharma’s future in Test Cricket?

Cricketing legends Sunil Gavaskar and Ricky Ponting cited his struggles while going by other legendary ones; here, Krishnamachari Srikkanth said Rohit will bid adieu to test cricket and will be seen playing only ODIs for India very soon.