Rohit Sharma's imperfect goodbye to Test cricket

The last act of Rohit Sharma the Test captain and batsman will be missing out on the Sydney Test. The handwriting had been on the wall since he admitted he didn't think he was good enough - or in good enough nick - to be among the five best Test batters in the nation. It is a decision extremely out of character for an elite cricketer. They arrive there in the first instance because of living in denial of any curtailment. A return from there is unheard of. If ever, it had to be through spectacular evidence of a return to dominance in domestic cricket.

There appeared to be indications that Rohit was unaware of the finish. In a recent interview with ex-Australia captain Michael Clarke, he expressed his excitement at leading the attack of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj in England. It is a pity that the final retirement announcement was a synopsis, probably due to the breaking of news that the selectors had formally informed the BCCI that they were prepared to appoint a new captain.

How you decide to leave your career, how you communicate to the world that you won't be wearing the cap you toiled so hard for and loved, is a very personal matter. Generally, your hand should never be compelled liked that. Certainly not in the middle of the IPL when your team is still in contention.

Others would argue that this flawed conclusion is in neat balance with a flawed career. A career whose beginning was delayed for three years due to minutes before the toss in what was to be his first Test, he trod on a team-mate's foot while rushing for a rocketball and hurt himself.