Rohit Sharma Retires from Test Cricket After BCCI Rejects Farewell Proposal

In a surprising turn of events, Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from Test cricket on May 7, just weeks before the five-match Test series against England set to begin on June 20. According to reports, Sharma had proposed to retire mid-series, emulating MS Dhoni’s 2014 farewell during India’s tour of Australia. However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) rejected the idea, citing a need for consistent leadership throughout the series. The board reportedly offered Rohit a place in the squad without the captaincy, which led him to call time on his red-ball career instead.

Rohit’s decision has sparked discussions over India’s next Test captain. With Jasprit Bumrah opting out of the leadership role, the selection committee, headed by Ajit Agarkar, is considering Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill as the frontrunners. However, internal debates continue, with at least one selector reportedly expressing doubts about Gill’s position in the playing XI and suggesting a vice-captaincy role might suit him better for now.

Rohit Sharma ends his Test career with 61 matches, 4,301 runs at an average of 40.57, including 12 centuries and 18 fifties, with a highest score of 212. His retirement comes just days before Virat Kohli also announced his exit from the Test format, marking the end of an era. Both stalwarts had already retired from T20 internationals after India’s T20 World Cup victory in 2024, and will now only continue in ODIs.

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