Two major cricketers of the country have announced retirement from Test matches. This has ended an era of Indian cricket. After captain Rohit Sharma, on May 12, former captain Virat Kohli also said goodbye to Test cricket. Now both of them will play only ODI matches from India. The next month the Indian team is to visit England. The series of five Test matches will begin there from June 20. In this sense, it can be called a shock. The non -attendance of two experienced players will reduce the possibility of the team winning. It is a difficult challenge to defeat them on the soil of England. Virat is two years younger than Rohit at his age, so he did not have such expectations yet. The BCCI also asked him to change his decision but Virat did not agree. It would have been more appropriate if he had decided this after the tour of England. However, retirement is a personal decision of any player. Both of them had announced to retire from T20 format simultaneously after winning the T20 World Cup in June 2024. Now they have said goodbye to the Test match almost together.
Virat Kohli was expected to break Sachin Tendulkar’s record of hundred centuries. But, this will not happen now. In his 14 -year career, Kohli played 123 Tests and scored a total of 9,230 runs. He has 30 centuries and 31 half centuries. He is the only Indian and the only captain in the world to score 7 double centuries in Tests. 254 unbeaten is his best score. He captained India in 68 Tests, out of which 40 won. Last year, when India lost the Test series from New Zealand, Virat Kohli and captain Rohit were very criticized. In the first Test match of Australia tour, Virat gave a good indication by scoring a century in Perth but his form was again messed up in later matches. India returned home after losing this series. He has more than 50 centuries in ODIs. A century is in T20. The figure of hundred was not far away. Virat’s aggressive currency on the field is enough to enhance the team. Both Virat and Rohit’s performance in Test matches were up down. Virat retired before completing ten thousand runs in Test cricket.
Also read: Who will be Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s replacement in Team India? These names can be discussed
Rohit’s decision not unexpected
Captain Rohit Sharma’s decision to retire from Test cricket cannot be said to be unpredictable but Virat has shocked everyone. He is also showing great games in the current IPL. Two months ago, he also scored a century against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy in Dubai. It was expected that he would play two more years now. Now we will be able to see these two playing in ODIs.
Rohit performance in the long format of this game has been a ups and downs. 38 -year -old Rohit is showing age effect. His performance in the year 2024 was very disappointing. Under his captaincy, India lost a three -Test series from New Zealand in their home. After this, India had to accept defeat in the five -match border -Gavaskar Test series in Australia. The condition was that in the final Test match, captain Rohit himself had to sit out. Jasprit Bumrah captained him in his place. There were also reports of controversy with coach Gautam Gambhir. Questions began to arise on Rohit’s leadership. They were demanded to retire from them. Well, now when Rohit has decided to withdraw from the Test match, the BCCI will have to find a new captain. In June, the Indian team has to visit England to play a five -Test series. With this, the next session of the World Test Championship will begin.
Rohit Sharma has already retired before T20. Now he will be seen playing only ODI matches. After winning the T20 World Cup in June 2024, he announced his retirement from this format. Along with him, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja also decided not to play T20 on behalf of the country. Rohit started his international career from the 2007 T20 World Cup. However, he found a place late in Test matches. In 2013, when the West Indies team came to India, Rohit was included in the Test team. Earlier he used to play in mid -order. Later the opener came in the role of batsman. Rohit played a total of 67 Tests with 12 centuries and 18 half -century with 4301 runs. 212 is his best performance in five -day matches. It is surprising that a big player like Rohit could not play even a hundred Tests. These figures are not corresponding to their stature.
When Virat Kohli left the captaincy in 2021, Rohit Sharma was given this responsibility. He became the captain in all formats. Rohit played 24 Test matches as captain, winning 12 and 9 was defeated. During this time his average was 30.58.
Famous as Hitman
Rohit Sharma had been stamped by a good -overs match. He played Danadan innings in ODIs. In the 50 -over match, two double centuries made headlines. He was in a great form in the 2019 ODI World Cup. Four centuries came out of his bat. The Indian team was at the top of the points table on the basis of his brilliant performance. Unfortunately, India fell out of the title race after losing to New Zealand in the semi -finals. Rohit’s smoke in T20 and ODI was named ‘Hitman’ with his batting. He scored 11,186 runs in 273 ODIs. It has 264 of his highest score. Rohit was the captain in the 2023 ODI World Cup. Our team performed very well but lost to the Kangaroo team in the final. Now it seems that he will also retire from this format by playing the next ODI World Cup 2027. By then he will be 40 years old.
