Cricketers past and present, along with countless fans, flooded social media on Wednesday to salute Rohit Sharma after the Indian skipper announced his retirement from Test cricket. The announcement came shortly after reports surfaced suggesting he had been removed as Test captain — a development that added further weight to his decision.
Gautam Gambhir, the current head coach of the Indian team, offered a succinct response to Rohit’s move. His teammates — including vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, and Yashasvi Jaiswal — also paid tribute, acknowledging the veteran opener’s leadership and legacy in the longest format.
Fans celebrated Rohit’s red-ball achievements, many calling him India’s most consistent Test batter in the latter half of his career. Having scored 4301 runs in 67 Tests with 12 centuries and 18 fifties at an average of 40.57, Rohit’s contributions stood out, especially after he was promoted to open the innings.
{{/usCountry}}Fans celebrated Rohit’s red-ball achievements, many calling him India’s most consistent Test batter in the latter half of his career. Having scored 4301 runs in 67 Tests with 12 centuries and 18 fifties at an average of 40.57, Rohit’s contributions stood out, especially after he was promoted to open the innings.
{{/usCountry}}His captaincy tenure included guiding India to the World Test Championship final against Australia, along with key home series wins over New Zealand and Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
“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 for all these years. I will continue to represent India in ODIs,” Rohit wrote in a statement on Instagram.
A PTI report stated that the 38-year-old had been contemplating retirement since India’s Champions Trophy win in March. “The retirement from Test cricket was on Rohit's mind since India won the Champions Trophy. A new WTC (World Test Championship) cycle was starting, and hence he thought this was the best time,” a source close to him told the agency.
The report also noted uncertainty around his selection for the upcoming England tour. While selectors met informally in Mumbai, Gambhir’s involvement couldn’t be confirmed. Amid the ambiguity, Rohit conveyed he wanted to make the final call himself. The BCCI later confirmed he would continue as India’s ODI captain, with his focus now shifting to the 2027 World Cup.