Rohit Sharma announces retirement from Tests. File
| Photo Credit: PTI
Rohit Sharma has quietly drawn the curtain on his Test career, but his story in Indian cricket is far from over.
In what could be the final chapter of a glittering career, the batting stalwart is now fully focussed on the 50-over format and bringing glory to the country in the 2027 ODI World Cup, his childhood coach Dinesh Lad has said.
In pictures: Rohit Sharma hangs his boots from Tests
Indian captain Rohit Sharma announces his retirement from Tests just after the Sydney Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, on May 7, 2025. File
In June 2024, both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli announced their retirement from the Twenty20 internationals right after the Indian team lifted the Twenty20 World Cup after a gap of 17 years.
Rohit Sharma is seen with the head coach Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli during a practice session. Rohit Sharma’s bad form continued in Australia also as he failed to score even a half-century in the three Tests he played.
Captain Rohit Sharma is seen with his successor in Tests Jasprit Bumrah. Despite Rohit Sharma’s absence in the first Test at Perth, Jasprit Bumrah led from the front to beat Australia.
Over his last 10 Test matches, Rohit Sharma scored a total of 120 runs across 10 Test match innings, averaging 12.0, with a highest score of 52. File
In the Twenty20 internationals, Rohit Sharma has played 159 match scoring 4,231 runs at an average of 32.05 with five centuries to his credit.
Having announced his retirement from Tests and Twenty20 internationals, Rohit Sharma is expected to continue playing One Day Internationals.
Rohit has played 67 Tests, scored 4301 runs with an average of 40.57 and with 12 hundreds to boot.
Having led Mumbai Indians to victory for five times, the Twenty20 2024 World Cup win will be etched in the mind of Rohit Sharma. Team India defeated South Africa to lift the title after a gap of 17 years.
Rohit Sharma celebrates after scoring a century during the second Test against West Indies at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on November 15, 2013. He made 177 in his debut match Eden Gardens. Interestingly in the Test, Ravichandran Ashwin scored a magnificent 124.
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Sharma recently added the Champions Trophy to his cabinet to go with the T20 World Cup title India won under his captaincy last year as the veteran emerged as one of the most successful skippers the country has produced.
Lad feels Sharma would like to bow out on a high by winning the ODI World Cup, which has eluded India since 2011 when the team led by MS Dhoni lifted the trophy. “His [Rohit’s] aim is to win the 2027 ODI World Cup and then retire,” Lad told PTI Videos on Wednesday (May 7, 2025).
“His target was the World Test Championship, but unfortunately we didn’t qualify. Now, it’s the 2027 World Cup… I also want him to win the 2027 World Cup and then retire,” Lad added.
The 2027 Cricket World Cup is scheduled to be played in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia in October and November.
Sharma’s glittering ODI career has seen him score more than 11,168 runs, including 32 centuries and a highest score of 264, making him one of the most dangerous 50-over batters in international cricket.
A strategic shift
Lad said the Test retirement by the legend was a strategic shift to prolong his career. “He didn’t take it [decision to retire from Tests] in a hurry. He didn’t want to play T20Is post the World Cup [last year in the Americas] but it was his decision to play the other two formats. He must have thought well about what is best for him,” said Lad.
“This decision has nothing to do with the upcoming tour to England,” he added, when asked if Sharma wasn’t confident of leading the side for the five-match away series beginning in June.
“The major thought would have been to give the next generation a chance, like he did just after the T20 World Cup last year,” said Lad.
Lad also shared that Sharma’s Test debut knock against the West Indies was his most memorable moment. Sharma scored 177 runs against the West Indies at Kolkata in 2013.
“It was his debut Test hundred against the West Indies… it was the moment he knew he had arrived. It is my favourite Test knock of his,” he said.
With Sharma potentially nearing the end of his international career, discussions around the future leadership have already begun. Lad backed the likes of Shubman Gill and KL Rahul to take over the baton.
“I can’t say who will take what. It is the decision of the BCCI. But there are many who are ready for the captaincy. For example, Shubman Gill was made the vice-captain. KL Rahul is also a contender,” he added.
Published – May 08, 2025 12:42 pm IST