Indian skipper Rohit Sharma’s decision to opt out of the Sydney Test due to poor form has sparked multiple conversations about his leadership. Several reports claimed that he is considering retirement.
Rohit Sharma on Sam Konstas & his poking:
– “Our boys, till they’re calm, will remain calm. If you keep poking them, not everyone is going to remain calm. Cricket khelo, Yeh faaltu ke cheeze, bol bachchan Karna, Shobha nahi dete (Play cricket and these meaningless stuff and… pic.twitter.com/RwXpGWEXio
— Tanuj Singh (@ImTanujSingh) January 4, 2025
During the lunch break of the fifth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Rohit Sharma spoke to the broadcasters, Star Sports, and addressed the reports circulating online about whether he would rest, quit, or retire. Rohit firmly declared that he would not be retiring from Tests and would continue to be part of the larger scheme of things.
On whether he ‘opted out’ of the Sydney Test
He said, “I will say a few words and fifty meanings will be made out of it. Runs are not coming from my bat, I am not in form, and this is an important match. We need players in form. Many of our batsmen are out of form, so we cannot carry too many out-of-form players in the team. It was difficult for me to take this decision, but when we looked at everything, this decision seemed sensible, and I won’t overthink it.”
Rohit Sharma exemplifies leadership through honesty and selflessness. Despite personal challenges, he prioritizes team success, stepping aside when necessary. His leadership in the current Test series reflects his unwavering dedication to India’s success. A true legend of the… pic.twitter.com/L3rPlMlRT6
— Suresh Raina?? (@ImRaina) January 4, 2025
Emphasizing his current lack of runs, he added, “I sat out of this match because runs are not coming off my bat. No guarantee runs won’t come in five or two months. I have seen a lot in cricket—life changes every second, every minute, every day. I have confidence in myself that things can change, but at the same time, I have to be realistic as well.”
On retirement rumours
Rohit added, “If a person has a mic, a laptop, or a pen, what he writes or says does not change our lives. We have played this game for so many years. These people cannot decide when we should retire, when we should rest, or when we should stop captaining. I am a sensible man, a mature man, and a father of two children. I have a clear idea of what I want in life.”
On playing in Australia and the team’s efforts
He said, “We can’t win the series, but we can draw it. We don’t want to let them win. We can do this. If we get positive results after coming here three times, then there’s nothing like it. I am not going anywhere.”
About India’s performance
India bowled out Australia for 181, securing a four-run lead in the first innings on Day 4 of the Sydney Test. Captain Jasprit Bumrah contributed with figures of 2/33 but had to leave the field for scans due to an unspecified injury.
In the second innings of the fifth and final Test, apart from Rishabh Pant, no Indian batter managed to score more than 22 runs.