Rohit Sharma Retires from Test Cricket, Shubman Gill Likely Successor

New Delhi: Ending weeks of speculation, India’s veteran opener and captain Rohit Sharma on Wednesday announced his retirement from Test cricket with immediate effect. The 38-year-old confirmed the decision through an emotional Instagram post, bringing the curtains down on an illustrious red-ball career spanning over a decade.

“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,” wrote Rohit in his official statement.

Rohit’s final Test appearance came during the Boxing Day match at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in 2024, as part of India’s 4-1 series defeat against Australia. He led India in the World Test Championship (WTC) final against the same opponent earlier that year.

Though retiring from Tests, Rohit confirmed he will continue playing One Day Internationals (ODIs) for India. His departure from red-ball cricket follows his T20I retirement in June 2024, after guiding India to the T20 World Cup title against South Africa.

During his 11-year-long Test career, Rohit played 67 matches, scoring 4,301 runs at an average of over 45, including 12 centuries. He took over the Test captaincy from Virat Kohli in 2022 and led India in 24 matches.

His recent form, however, had drawn criticism. In the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, he averaged just 6.20 across five innings and dropped himself from the final Test in Sydney. Prior to that, he struggled during a 3-0 home series loss to New Zealand, managing only 15.16 with the bat.

With India’s five-Test tour of England looming, the spotlight now turns to the selection of a new Test captain. According to sources, 25-year-old Shubman Gill is the frontrunner. Currently leading the Gujarat Titans in IPL 2025, Gill has impressed as a leader and has served as vice-captain in white-ball formats. Jasprit Bumrah, another leadership candidate, may not be available for the entire England tour due to workload management.

Rohit’s exit marks the end of an era in Indian Test cricket, making way for a new generation of leaders and talent as the team builds toward the next WTC cycle.