Former coach Ravi Shastri has said he wouldn’t be surprised if India captain Rohit Sharma retires from Test cricket. However, if selected for a farewell match, Ravi Shastri believes Rohit should play without any baggage as India fights to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and keep their World Test Championship 2025 final hopes alive in Sydney.
Shastri’s remarks came after India coach Gautam Gambhir declined to confirm whether Rohit would play the fifth Test against Australia, stating only that the team would be announced before the toss on Friday.
“If I were anywhere near Rohit Sharma, I’d tell him Just go and smash it. Go out there and have a blast,” Shastri said on The ICC Review. “Right now, playing the way he is, it’s not looking great. He needs to take the attack to the opposition and see what happens.”
Speculation about the Indian captain’s retirement from Test cricket has intensified since Gambhir’s pre-match press conference on Thursday, with Rohit managing only 31 runs at an average of 6.2 in five innings in the Australia series.
The regular captain did not play in the first Test of the series in Perth, which India won. “He’ll take a call on his career, but I won’t be shocked if he retires because he’s not getting any younger,” Shastri said.
“There are young players waiting in the wings, like Shubman Gill, who averages over 40 in 2024. Seeing a player of that quality sitting on the bench makes you wonder. So I wouldn’t be surprised, but it’s ultimately his decision.
“If India qualifies for the World Test Championship Final, it’s a different story. Otherwise, this might be the right time for him to go out with a blaze of glory.”
Rohit retired from T20Is on a high note, captaining India to World Cup silverware in the West Indies in 2024, where he scored two half-centuries in his final three innings. He remains in contention for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, though his recent struggles in red-ball cricket have drawn scrutiny.
“I think he’s a bit late on the ball,” Shastri observed.
“His footwork, which was minimal even at his best, seems to have declined further. He’s often caught on the crease, neither forward nor back. When Rohit moves towards the ball with intent, the right signals are sent from his brain to his feet, and he performs better.
“He needs to play his natural game. Go out there, take the opposition on, and try to win the Test match. Losing one Test doesn’t mean the series is lost.”
