Former India head coach Ravi Shastri recently opened up about Rohit Sharma’s retirement from Test cricket, saying he would have made sure Rohit played the final Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test against Australia in Sydney earlier this year.
Rohit, who ended his Test career with 4,301 runs in 67 matches at an average of 40.57, including 12 centuries and a career-best 212, struggled with form in the last few months of his career. After missing the first Test in Perth due to the birth of his son, Rohit returned for the next three Tests but scored only 31 runs, resulting in him being left out of the final Test.
Shastri’s Take on Rohit’s Last Test
Speaking on The ICC Review show, Shastri said, “If I were the coach, you would have never not played that last Test match. The series wasn’t over at 2-1, and that was a 30-40 run game. The pitch was spicy, and Rohit is a match-winner regardless of form. I told him if he had gone and scored even 35-40 runs, the series could have been levelled.”
He also shared a personal moment: “I put my hand on his shoulder during an IPL match in Mumbai and told him this. It’s been sitting in my heart for a long time.”
The End of an Era
Rohit’s retirement, coupled with that of Virat Kohli, marks a significant transition for Indian Test cricket. The team will begin a new chapter with the five-match Test series against England starting June 20 at Headingley, also kicking off a fresh ICC World Test Championship cycle.
For more insights on India’s upcoming Test challenges, check out our coverage of the India vs England Test series 2025.
