END OF TEST INNINGS

Rohit announces retirement from red-ball cricket ahead of five-Test series in England

- GOMESH S

IN many ways, the writing was on the wall. The signs were there on January 2, 2025 on the eve of the fifth and final Test against Australia in Sydney. After head coach Gautam Gambhir refused to confirm Rohit Sharma's place in the playing XI, the Indian captain was detached and did little during the training session ahead of a must-win game. He stood with deputy Jasprit Bumrah and watched the rest train before having a short stint with the reserve batters.

Three days earlier, when he addressed the media after losing in Melbourne, Rohit wore a resigning look like never before. He spoke about looking within himself, after a horror run with the bat and how disturbing it has been. If that was the first sign of Rohit playing his last Test in Melbourne, the proceedings in Sydney only reaffirmed it.

While Rohit said he had dropped himself and is not retiring anytime soon on day two of the Sydney Test which India went on to lose, it all came to an end on Wednesday evening as the Indian captain announced that he is calling it a day as Test cricketer. "Hello everyone, I would just like to share that I am retiring from Test cricket.

It's been an absolute honour to represent my country in whites.