Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has backed Rohit Sharma’s decision to retire from Test cricket, stating that it was the ‘right time’ for the veteran batter to hang up his boots. Ganguly also called Rohit a good leader and appreciated his role in leading the side to victory in T20 World Cup and the recently concluded Champions Trophy.
Speaking to India Today, Ganguly said, “Retirement is everyone’s individual decision. I also understand that this was the right time for him to hang his boots. He has played a lot of cricket for India and I would like to wish him all the best for his upcoming journey,”
“He was a good leader that’s why he made India’s captain. I am not at all surprised that he led India to the T20 World Cup and the Champions Trophy titles. It was a successful career and he should be extremely proud of it,” the former cricketer added.
Rohit Sharma’s record in Test cricket:
Rohit got off to a late start in Test cricket, starting his innings with the red ball in 2013. Since then, the veteran batsman has played 67 matches, scoring 4,301 runs at an average of 40.6 with 12 centuries and 18 half-centuries.
The 38-year-old was handed the captaincy of India’s Test side in 2022 and led them to the final of the World Test Championship in 2023, where they lost to Australia. The writing was on the wall for Rohit after his series of batting failures in Australia earlier this year, which saw him dropping himself in the final Test match in Sydney.
Following in Rohit Sharma’s footsteps, recent reports suggest that Virat Kohli has also announced his intention to retire from Test cricket, but the Indian cricket board has reportedly asked him to reconsider. The Indian team is all set for the 5-match Test series in England, where they could be without the leadership of their two cricketing stalwarts for the first time in a decade.
