Veteran Indian batter Rohit Sharma quashed speculation surrounding his retirement on Saturday, asserting he is “not going anywhere” and citing poor form as the reason for stepping aside from the ongoing Sydney Test against Australia.
Rohit’s decision to “stand down” and relinquish leadership duties to Jasprit Bumrah stirred widespread conjecture about his future.
Rohit clarified that the move was intended to prioritise the team’s needs during the decisive fifth match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where India trails 1-2.
“I have not retired. I stood down, that is what I would say. Basically, the chat that I had with the coach and the selector was very simple. I am not able to score runs, there is no form, it is an important match, and we need a player with form,” Rohit stated.
“As it is, in our batting, the form of the boys is not that good. So you cannot carry a lot of out-of-form players in the team. This simple thing was going on in my mind. I am not going anywhere,” he added.
The seasoned batter emphasised that the team management and selectors supported his decision.
“I wanted to tell the coach and the selector that this is what is going on in my mind. They backed my decision. They said that you have been playing for so many years. You know what you are doing.
“So for me, it was difficult to take this decision. But if everything is kept in front, then this decision was sensible. I will not think much further,” Rohit explained.
Rohit’s absence paved the way for Shubman Gill’s inclusion in the playing eleven. The 37-year-old’s struggles with the bat this year have been glaring, with an average of just 24.76 across 14 Tests. His lean patch continued in this series, scoring only 31 runs in five innings after joining the squad following the Perth Test.
The decision has fuelled speculation about Rohit’s future in Test cricket, which he categorically denied.
“This is not a retirement decision. I am not going to leave the game. There is no such decision. But I am out of this game because the bat is not working,” Rohit said.
“But there is no guarantee that the bat will not work after five months. There is no guarantee that the bat will not work after two months or six months down the line,” he added.
Expressing hope for a turnaround, Rohit reflected on the unpredictable nature of cricket.
“We have seen a lot in cricket. Every minute, every second, every day, life changes. So, I have a belief that things will change,” he remarked.
Addressing criticism, Rohit underlined his maturity, saying: “These people cannot decide when we should go or when we should not play. I am a sensible man. I am a mature man. I am the father of two children. So, I have a little brain to decide what I want in life.”
Rohit revealed he made the decision after arriving in Sydney. “After the Melbourne Test, we had only two days in between. And one day was New Year’s eve. So on New Year’s, I did not want to tell this to the coach and the selector.
“But it was running in my mind that I am trying and trying. But it is not happening. So I have to accept that it is not happening. And it was important for me to step aside,” he said.
The captain also lauded Jasprit Bumrah’s leadership. “The way he (Bumrah) sets standards with the ball, he is absolute class. When I saw him for the first time in 2013, his graph has gone really high ever since and has gone from strength to strength,” Rohit remarked.
Follow us
