Sunil Gavaskar on Rohit Sharma Test Cricket Future: Former cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has described Indian captain Rohit Sharma’s decision to “stay on the sidelines” in the final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) as a “courageous decision”, admitting that Rohit looked “out of his depth” throughout the tour. Were. From ending India’s decade-long wait for an ICC trophy with a stellar performance in Barbados to sitting out in Sydney, Rohit has had an up-and-down seven months. When it mattered most, Rohit delivered match-winning performances.
However, during the transition from white-ball to red-ball cricket, his form faded. Rohit also recognized the decline in his batting and its impact on the team. For the final Test, when India had one last chance to retain the BGT, he decided to sit out to give his team the best chance. Despite Rohit’s absence, India’s batting problems continued. India lost BGT within three days, due to which questions were raised on Rohit’s future in Test cricket as well as the future of other senior players.
Gavaskar wrote in his column in the Sydney Morning Herald, “Captain Rohit Sharma was beyond his capability and by taking the bold decision to step down due to his form, he has raised big questions over his future in Test cricket.” It was not just Rohit’s form that was a matter of concern. Another senior player Virat Kohli was also struggling. Kohli scored only 190 runs in eight innings at an average of 23.75, while Rohit scored only 31 runs in the three Test matches of the series. The future of both Rohit and Virat has become a subject of debate among fans and former cricketers.
Even India head coach Gautam Gambhir addressed the issue, saying that any decision regarding his future will be in the best interest of the team. Gambhir said in the post-match press conference, “I can’t talk about the future of any player. It depends on them too. They still have hunger, they still have passion, they are tough people and Hopefully he will be able to take Indian cricket forward, he will plan in the best interest of the team. I should be fair and equal with everyone in the dressing room.
In Rohit’s absence, after Jasprit Bumrah led the team brilliantly in Perth and achieved a record-breaking 295-run win, the demand for Rohit to move forward intensified. The experienced opening batsman, who was not available for the first match of the series due to personal reasons, joined the team midway through the first Test. Given the events on the field, Rohit quickly returned to the nets to strengthen his preparations.
Under the leadership of Bumrah, India easily dominated Australia. After achieving a spectacular win, Bumrah handed back the captaincy to Rohit and gave him the big responsibility of maintaining the winning streak.
However, Rohit’s comeback was lackluster. The stamina he lost during the whitewash in India’s historic home series against New Zealand is still intact. After the defeat in the Boxing Day Test, speculations about Rohit’s retirement have intensified. Rumors of rift in the Indian camp also surfaced on social media. Rohit talked about these speculations in an interview given to broadcasters in Sydney. Rohit Sharma told Star Sports, “I have distanced myself from this Test, but I am not going anywhere. It is not like retirement or walking away from the format. What would anyone with a mic, pen or laptop write? Or he says, it doesn’t matter. I decided to retire only after coming to Sydney, but there is no guarantee that you will be scoring for two months. I will not be able to score runs after a month. That I know what I’m doing.”
