Many cricket fans were utterly confused after the announcement that Rohit Sharma would no longer be captaining the Indian Test side. Well, they were in for a bigger shock—yesterday, the legend announced his retirement from Test cricket. A few months ago, Sharma had also retired from T20 cricket after India won the World Cup.
Sharma took to Instagram and shared the news with the entire world through a story. The former MI captain said it was an honor to represent the country in Test cricket. He then thanked all the fans for supporting him over the years. The decision came shortly after it was announced that he would not be captaining the Test side for the upcoming England series.
India started last year with a win over South Africa in Cape Town, followed by a 4-1 home series win over England. However, after winning the series against Bangladesh 2-0, their journey took a downward spiral. Sharma’s team suffered a crushing 0-3 loss against New Zealand at home and then lost the series to Australia down under, 2-1.
“Hello everyone, I would just like to share that I am retiring from Test cricket. It’s been an absolute honor to represent my country in whites. Thank you for all the love and support over the years.”
Rohit Sharma on Instagram
Unfortunately, Sharma’s batting record in Tests was not good. In his last 11 Test innings, he scored only 73 runs at an average of 6.63. Both he and Virat Kohli were criticized for their poor performances in the series against New Zealand and Australia. Sharma clarified that he would continue to represent the country in ODI cricket.
Many cricketers fro present and past sent wishes to Rohit Sharma after his retirement announcement
Sharma has had a tremendous amount of respect for many young players. He was a Test captain to players like Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel, and also played alongside players like KL Rahul and Ajinkya Rahane. All of them sent special messages to the 38-year-old veteran on social media.
Jasprit Bumrah shared that it was an honor to play alongside him in Tests. The world’s best bowler further said that Sharma’s legacy would continue to inspire everyone. KKR captain Rahane was shocked to hear the news and praised Sharma, saying he always wanted to play with freedom and take on the bowlers. Here are some of the top reactions from other cricketers:
Meanwhile, Yuzvendra Chahal shared an Instagram story in which he expressed his emotions with a broken heart emoji. Jurel also took to social media and said that Sharma would always be his first captain. The God of Cricket, Sachin Tendulkar, sent a wholesome message to his former MI teammate and recalled the day he gave him the cap. Tendulkar further said that Sharma’s journey from then to now has been remarkable.