Rohit Sharma's Test retirement incoming as Ajit Agarkar prepares for tough discussions
Published - 27 Dec 2024, 06:28 PM
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India National Cricket Team captain Rohit Sharma might soon announce his retirement from Test cricket amid his poor form with the bat in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, according to a report.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) chief selector Ajit Agarkar is likely to have tough discussions with the skipper Rohit Sharma regarding his future in the longest format of the game very soon.
Rohit Sharma going through a bad patch
India National Cricket Team captain was one of the best batters in the previous cycle of the ICC World Test Championship. He only had 5 single-digit dismissals in 43 WTC innings between 2019-23.
However, things have changed drastically this year, as those numbers have been doubled up, and he has 10 single-digit dismissals in the 25 innings in 2024.
Rohit Sharma's form has been a huge cause of concern for Team India, and according to several cricket experts, it is directly affecting his decision-making ability on the field.
In the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, Rohit Sharma registered scores of 3, 6, and 10 in his first two matches, and then in the ongoing Test match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground he was dismissed for 5-ball 3 off Pat Cummins in the 2nd over.
This was the fifth time that Indian captain Rohit got out against Australian skipper Pat Cummins in Test cricket. This is a record as in the list of captains dismissing an opposition captain most times in Tests, Pat Cummins after dismissing Rohit Sharma 5 times, joined Richie Benaud and Imran Khan, who also dismissed Ted Dexter and Sunil Gavaskar the same number of times.
Overall, India National Cricket Team captain Rohit Sharma has been awful and has registered just 155 runs in the last eight Test matches at an awful average of 11.07.
Indian skipper Rohit Sharma is gone for just three runs! #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/m1fLiqKLO7
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 27, 2024
Rohit Sharma is set to retire after the Sydney Test vs AUS if...
According to a report in PTI, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) chief selector Ajit Agarkar is currently in Melbourne and may have some tough discussions with Rohit on his future in Test cricket.
The common belief is that Rohit will have to say goodbye to Test cricket after the fifth and final Test match against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground in case India fail to make it to their third consecutive WTC final.
Also, the report suggests that Rohit was not comfortable giving up his opening spot to KL Rahul and batting in the middle-order after missing the Perth Test. Due to this, India had to drop the No.3 batter, Shubman Gill, to accommodate Rohit Sharma at the top in the Melbourne Test and push KL Rahul to No.3.
I think his career could certainly be coming to an end - Mark Waugh
The former Australia National Cricket Team player Mark Waugh also believes that the Indian skipper's Test career will be ending after the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.
He said that only some miraculous performances from the bat could save Rohit's Test career.
“Unless Rohit Sharma can do something in the last three innings, I think his career could certainly be coming to an end,” Waugh said on Fox Sports.
Stumps on Day 2 in Melbourne!#TeamIndia move to 164/5, trail by 310 runs
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 27, 2024
Updates ▶️ https://t.co/njfhCncRdL#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/9ZADNv5SZf
