India’s Test cricket captain Rohit Sharma announced his immediate retirement on Wednesday at the age of 37. His final appearance was during the fourth Test against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which resulted in a defeat. He was subsequently dropped for the fifth Test as India lost the series 1-3.Sharma took over the Test captaincy in 2021 following Virat Kohli’s resignation. His tenure began with a two-match series against Sri Lanka, and he led India to the World Test Championship final in the 2021/23 cycle, where they ultimately lost to Australia.The initial phase of Sharma’s captaincy showed promise with successful campaigns. He secured a series victory in the West Indies and followed it with a commanding 4-1 triumph over England in 2024.
However, his later tenure faced significant challenges. A 0-3 home series loss to New Zealand and a 1-3 defeat in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia created mounting pressure. His retirement comes before India’s upcoming five-match Test series in England scheduled for June.Under Sharma’s leadership, India played 24 Test matches, winning 12, losing 9, and drawing 3. His captaincy record includes notable series victories against Sri Lanka (2-0 at home), Bangladesh (2-0 away), and Australia (2-1 at home).The team also achieved positive results against West Indies (1-0 away win) and drew 1-1 with South Africa away from home. A significant highlight was the 4-1 victory over England at home, followed by another 2-0 success against Bangladesh at home.Quiz: Who’s that IPL player?Sharma’s batting performance showed distinct patterns during his captaincy period. As captain, he scored 1,254 runs in 24 matches at an average of 30.58, including four centuries. In comparison, his record before captaincy showed 3,047 runs in 43 matches at a higher average of 46.87, with eight centuries.
His series results as captain demonstrate a mixed record of success and setbacks. The initial victories against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh set a positive tone, while the World Test Championship final loss to Australia marked a significant disappointment.The comprehensive victory over England in 2024 represented a high point in his captaincy. However, the subsequent losses to New Zealand at home and Australia away proved challenging. Notably, Sharma did not captain India during their victory in the first Test in Perth against Australia.His retirement marks the end of a significant chapter in Indian cricket, with reports suggesting Shubman Gill as the likely successor to the Test captaincy role.
