"Should play till 50 years of age" - Yograj Singh's stunning take on Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli's retirement

Former India cricketer Yograj Singh recently shared his thoughts on the retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma from Tests ahead of the England tour. Yograj stated that such great players should continue playing until the age of 50, adding that their retirement leaves no one to motivate the youngsters.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli announced their retirements from Tests. Sharma made the announcement on May 7 by sharing an Instagram story confirming his decision. Just five days later, Virat also posted on Instagram. They concluded their careers before the start of the World Test Championship cycle 2025-27.

Virat Kohli Is a Big Player - Yograj Singh

Speaking to ANI on Wednesday, Yograj Singh, father of Yuvraj Singh, shared his concerns about the void Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's retirements will leave in Indian Test cricket. Yograj also drew a comparison to 2011, recalling that the Indian team struggled during that transitional phase.

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"Virat is a big player, so it will obviously be a loss. When many players were either removed, retired, or coerced into retirement in 2011, the team fell apart and has still not stood back up," Yograj said.

#WATCH | Chandigarh | On Indian Cricketers Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retiring from Test Cricket, former Indian cricketer Yograj Singh says, "Virat is a big player, so it will obviously be a loss. When many players were either removed, retired, or coerced into retirement in… pic.twitter.com/FKzd9aUOX5

— ANI (@ANI) May 14, 2025

A Lot of Cricket Is Still Left in Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma - Yograj Singh

The former cricketer said that every player has their time to retire, but added that Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma still have plenty to offer. Yograj recalled advising his son Yuvraj Singh, stating that a cricketer should only step away from the game when they are physically no longer able to continue.

"I feel a lot of cricket is still left in Virat and Rohit. I told Yuvi (Yuvraj Singh) that it was not the right move when he was retiring. One should walk away from the field when one can no longer walk," he asserted.

Rohit Sharma and Virender Sehwag Retired Too Early - Yograj Singh

The 67-year-old criticized Rohit’s retirement from Test cricket. He felt that Rohit could have continued playing at the highest level. Singh said that Rohit and Virender Sehwag ended their red-ball careers too soon. Yograj went on to say that legendary players should aim to play until the age of 50.

"I think Rohit Sharma needed just one person to motivate him daily, for example, to go for a run at 5 AM," Yograj said.

"Rohit (Sharma) and Virender Sehwag are two people who retired too early. The greatest players should play till 50 years of age... I am sad about their retirement as no one is left to motivate the youngsters now," he added.

Virat and Rohit stepped away from T20Is after leading India to victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup. The veteran duo plan to remain active in the ODI setup, possibly targeting the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa. They are also likely to continue playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Also read: "I am shocked" - Sanjay Manjrekar destroys Ajit Agarkar for Jasprit Bumrah’s Test captaincy snub