3 Reasons Why Rohit Sharma Should Step Away From Test Cricket
Rohit Sharma’s struggles with form and leadership are raising serious questions about his future in Test cricket.
As we approach 2025, Indian cricket fans are feeling a sense of uncertainty about the future of Indian Test cricket. In November 2024, the star-studded Indian team suffered a historic loss in a home Test series against New Zealand. Mind you, this was not just any series defeat—it marked the first home Test series loss for India in 12 years. And to make matters worse, it was a whitewash.
In the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Test series, a Jasprit Bumrah-led Indian side took the series lead after the Perth Test. However, since the return of full-time Test skipper Rohit Sharma, India lost the Adelaide Test, and the Brisbane Test ended in a draw. With South Africa’s win against Pakistan in Centurion today, India’s chances of qualifying for the World Test Championship (WTC) final now seem slim.
The hot topic among Indian cricket fans is the future of “The Hitman of Cricket.”
Here are the top 3 reasons why the Nagpur-born batter should consider retiring from Test cricket:
1. A Skipper Who Can’t Be Dropped: The Team Balance Dilemma
As the captain of the team, Rohit Sharma cannot be dropped, but this creates a problem with balancing the side and player positions. In the Perth Test, under Bumrah’s captaincy, KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal opened the innings, with Shubman Gill coming in at No. 3.
When Rohit returned to the team for the Adelaide Test, Dhruv Jurel was dropped to accommodate him in the middle order. However, Rohit failed to deliver in this position.
Consequently, Gill was asked to sit out for the Brisbane Test, and KL Rahul was moved down to No. 3 to allow Rohit to open the innings. Despite scoring a valuable 84 runs in the Brisbane Test, KL Rahul has had to shuffle between positions in his last five matches—batting at No. 6, No. 2, and No. 3.
Shuffling an in-form player’s position just to accommodate an out-of-form captain is certainly causing great damage to the side.
2. Walking Wicket: Rohit Sharma’s Batting Blues
Let’s examine Rohit Sharma’s performances in his last 10 Test innings for India:
- India vs Australia (4th Test): 3 runs
- India vs Australia (3rd Test): 10 runs
- India vs Australia (2nd Test): 6 runs
- India vs Australia (2nd Test): 3 runs
- India vs New Zealand (3rd Test): 11 runs
- India vs New Zealand (3rd Test): 18 runs
- India vs New Zealand (2nd Test): 8 runs
- India vs New Zealand (2nd Test): 0 runs
- India vs New Zealand (1st Test): 52 runs
- India vs New Zealand (1st Test): 2 runs
That’s a total of just 113 runs in his last 10 innings, with only one score crossing the 50-run mark. To add to the embarrassment, Australia’s No. 11 batter, Scott Boland, faced more balls in the second innings of the fourth Test than Rohit has faced in the entire series.
As a batter, Rohit is contributing little to the team. Worse, in-form players are being shuffled, and promising youngsters are being benched to accommodate him.
3. What Lies Ahead for Team India Post Rohit Sharma?
With India’s chances of making the WTC final looking slim, the BCCI must now focus on overhauling the Test side. The leadership qualities displayed by star pacer Jasprit Bumrah in the Perth Test suggest that the team needs fresh vision and aggression.
The future looks promising with players like Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar in the mix. The departure of spin wizard Ravichandran Ashwin has also opened up a spot for a spinner. Indian coach Gautam Gambhir, known for his strict attitude and unconventional strategies, has just begun his tenure. Looking ahead to the next WTC cycle, it’s clear that harsh and tough decisions are the need of the hour.
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