Indian cricket legend Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from Test cricket on May 7, bringing an end to a remarkable chapter in his illustrious career. The decision came just ahead of India’s five-match Test series against England, leaving the selectors in a fix to find a suitable successor. Over the course of 67 Tests, Rohit amassed 4301 runs at an average of 40.57, with 12 centuries. Meanwhile, reacting to Rohit’s retirement, former England skipper Michael Atherton expressed whether the retirement call was completely his (Rohit) own.
”Was that retirement completely his own decision, or did he get a sense that he's about to be pushed or the axe was coming because there was a report, the day before the announcement from Rohit, that the selectors had decided to move on?" Atherton said on Sky Sports.
"So that's speculation; we don't know, but ultimately the decision didn't come as a surprise because it's a bad combination for any captain, as you know and as I know well if you're losing games and you ain't getting any runs and India had lost 5 out of the last 6 matches under Rohit's captaincy," he added.
While stepping away from Test, Rohit emphasised his continued commitment to ODIs.
"He's 38. There's a massive depth of talent in Indian cricket. So, given that level, that depth of talent and the competition, it means that you're not going to be so patient when form or results go against you. And so in that sense I didn't think it was that much of a surprise. But always sad when a Test career comes to an end. He's been a significant cricketer. The record or statistics wouldn't suggest, of the very top rank in terms of Test cricket," Atherton said.