Rohit Sharma announces retirement from Test cricket

Dubai: His last act as a Test cricketer wasn’t at the crease — it was on social media. Rohit Sharma placed his cap down, typed out a short message, and walked away from red-ball cricket. No press conference, no farewell match. Just a quiet goodbye from one of India’s most stylish openers.

The announcement came little less than three months after India’s 50-over Champions Trophy triumph, where a jubilant Rohit had ended his media conference with a firm declaration:

“I am not going to retire from this format. I want to make sure that no rumours are spread moving forward,” he said in Dubai.

That was in reference to One-Day Internationals. But behind the scenes, the 37-year-old had already made up his mind about Test cricket. After a disappointing run in Australia and stepping down from the final Test in Sydney, Rohit confirmed his retirement from Tests with immediate effect.

In an Instagram story posted on Wednesday evening, Rohit placed his Test cap No. 280 and wrote:

“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. I will continue to represent India in the ODI format.”

Rohit, who made his debut in 2013 with a century against the West Indies in Kolkata, played 67 Tests and scored 4,301 runs at an average of 40.57. His record includes 12 centuries, 18 fifties, and a captaincy stint spanning 24 matches — 12 wins, nine defeats.

But recent form sealed his fate. In the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which India lost 3-1, Rohit averaged just 6.20 across five innings. Before that, he managed only 15.16 in a 3-0 home series defeat to New Zealand.

According to The Indian Express, selectors had already discussed moving on from Rohit as captain, with India set to begin a new World Test Championship cycle with a five-match series in England this June.

“The selectors’ thought process is clear. They want a new leader for the England tour and Rohit doesn’t fit in as captain, especially considering his red-ball form. They want to groom a young leader for the next Test cycle, and the selection committee has informed the BCCI that Rohit won’t lead the team,” a BCCI source told the paper, a day before his announcement.

Rohit had previously retired from T20Is in June 2024, after India beat South Africa by seven runs to lift the Men’s T20 World Cup. His Test exit, while sudden in form, had been building for months.

“This was a development which had been in the making for a long time, despite him claiming during a TV interview during the Sydney Test that he won’t be going away anytime soon. So one can say that the writing was on the wall. Subsequently, the selection of the Test team for the upcoming England tour has been deferred by two weeks,” a source told IANS.

Despite recent criticism for India’s performances in Australia — where they failed to reach the World Test Championship Final — Rohit, who took over from Virat Kohli in 2021, did guide the team to the 2023 final at The Oval.

Rohit has made it clear he remains available for ODIs, where he continues to be a vital cog in India’s plans.

His retirement from Test cricket marks the end of an era — not just for a player, but for a style. Rohit’s elegance, patience, and poise made him one of the most watchable openers of his generation.

With red-ball cricket behind him, the Hitman now has his sights set on finishing with one final hurrah: the 2027 World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.