Rohit Sharma announces retirement from Test cricket, will continue playing ODIs for India

In a significant development for Indian cricket, Rohit Sharma has announced his retirement from Test cricket. The announcement comes on the same day that The Indian Express reported he would no longer captain the Indian team in the upcoming tour of England.

“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. Thank you for all the love and support over the years,” Rohit shared in an Instagram Story, accompanied by a photo of his Team India Test cap.

The 37-year-old opener’s decision follows a tough run of form in red-ball cricket. In his last 11 Test innings, Rohit averaged just 6.63, scoring a total of 73 runs. His longest innings came during the second innings of the recent Melbourne Test, where he battled for 40 deliveries but managed only 9 runs as India fell short in a 340-run chase.

The announcement also follows a disappointing series in Australia, where India suffered their second defeat at the Melbourne Cricket Ground earlier this week.

Former India legend Sunil Gavaskar had earlier hinted that Rohit might consider stepping away from the format if his struggles with the bat continued. Speaking to ABC Sport earlier this year, Gavaskar remarked, “I think Rohit will definitely get more chances in the next few matches. But if he still doesn’t score, I feel he’ll make the call himself. He’s a very responsible cricketer who wouldn’t want to be a burden on the team. He cares deeply about Indian cricket.”

Though stepping away from Tests, Rohit confirmed he will continue to play for India in One Day Internationals.