India's regular cricket captain, Rohit Sharma, has announced his retirement from Test cricket with immediate effect, which means it is clear that he will not be on the flight to England for the upcoming five-match Test series. This also brings an end to the speculations about his future in the longest format of the game. There is no question that Rohit Sharma is India's most successful Test batter, having scored 4,301 runs at an average of 40.57, including 12 centuries and 18 half-centuries in 67 Test matches.
The "Hitman" made the announcement on social media, sharing a picture of his Test cap on his Instagram story with the caption: "I want to inform all of you that I am retiring from Test cricket. Representing my country in this format has been a great honor for me. Thank you all so much. I will continue to play for India in ODIs."
Rohit had already retired from T20s after leading India to victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup. After India's seven-run win over South Africa in the final, securing their second T20 World Cup title, Rohit and Virat Kohli both announced their retirement from T20 cricket, surprising everyone. Now, at 38, Rohit has retired from the longest format and will focus solely on leading India in One Day Internationals.
With Rohit’s retirement from Test cricket, it is clear that India will need a new Test captain for their upcoming series in England. Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, and Rishabh Pant are the leading contenders for the role, with the series set to begin in June.