Rohit Sharma’s Test journey wasn’t linear, but it was deeply rewarding—especially in its second act
Archan Mehta
Rohit Sharma’s decision to retire from Test cricket has landed like an unannounced bouncer—quiet in its arrival, thunderous in its impact. Dropped via Instagram, just ahead of a high-voltage five-Test series in England, the timing has caught both fans and selectors off guard. Rohit exits not with a farewell lap but with a whisper, leaving behind the longest format that once seemed to redefine his career. Recent struggles—only 122 runs in his last 10 Test innings—and a bruising 3-0 series loss at home to New Zealand likely nudged the decision. But more than just numbers, it feels like a carefully timed retreat. In just the last two years, Rohit led India to two ICC finals and capped it with a T20 World Cup win in 2024. His Test retirement now creates a double vacuum: India must replace both its opener and its red-ball leader at once.
In this leadership reboot, all signs point toward Shubman Gill—calm, composed, and loading… please wait while selectors clear the cache. At 25, Gill has never captained India in a Test or ODI, but led a second-string T20I side in Zimbabwe in 2024 and currently heads the Gujarat Titans in the IPL. His captaincy arc is still forming, but there’s polish in progress. Jasprit Bumrah, the current vice-captain, remains a capable leader but already carries the burden of leading the pace attack across all three formats—he’s India’s Ferrari, not a delivery truck. KL Rahul, despite past experience, isn’t a regular in the playing XI anymore. With the new World Test Championship cycle kicking off in England, it makes tactical and symbolic sense to hand over the reins to someone expected to be around till at least 2030. Gill could well be the start of a new era, not just a patch-up job.
Meanwhile, the scramble to fill the middle order is turning into a desi reality show—think Bigg Boss: Dressing Room Edition. With KL Rahul likely to open alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal, a spot opens up in the middle, triggering auditions across formats. Dhruv Jurel, who showed impressive grit in Ranchi against England, is emerging as a solid long-term keeper-batter, possibly Pant’s understudy. Karun Nair, once dropped despite a triple century, has barged back into contention after an 863-run Ranji season and county cricket consistency. B Sai Sudharsan’s blend of calm temperament and domestic plus IPL form makes him a compelling pick. And of course, there’s Sarfaraz Khan—currently injured, but hard to overlook after a mountain of domestic runs and a striking 150 against New Zealand earlier this year. It’s not just about plugging a hole anymore—it’s about defining India’s middle-order DNA for the future.
Rohit’s Test journey wasn’t linear, but it was deeply rewarding—especially in its second act. His knock of 212 in Ranchi (2019) as a freshly promoted opener against South Africa was not just a milestone but a message: he belonged. That same year, he launched his opener journey with a 176 in Vizag, in partnership with Mayank Agarwal. In 2021, he produced a match-winning 161 on a spinning Chennai pitch against England and followed it up with a brilliant 127 at The Oval—his first overseas Test century. His 120 against Australia in Nagpur (2023) as captain was a lesson in composure on a tough track. From his debut century of 177 against the West Indies in 2013 to a crucial 83 at Lord’s in 2021, Rohit stitched a career that balanced elegance with grit. He didn’t just open the innings; he opened India’s hopes with every start.
Now, as the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee prepares for the England tour, Indian cricket stands at a crossroads. Rohit’s stats—nearly 4000 runs in Tests, 37 matches as captain—are impressive, but his influence runs deeper. He brought poise at the top, tactical calm in pressure, and a late-career resurgence that became a case study in second chances. As Ravi Shastri once said, Rohit was like a “Swiss watch”—precision, grace, and always on time when it mattered. While he may still return in ODIs, possibly with the 2027 World Cup in sight, his Test story has officially been bookmarked. For Indian cricket, the next chapter starts now—not just with new faces, but with a new identity. One that builds on Rohit’s legacy, but writes its own script.
Archan Mehta is a San Jose-based writer dedicated to telling compelling stories about athletes, teams, and the world of cricket
