Rohit Sharma has announced his retirement from Test cricket, ending his tenure as India's Test captain.
While his leadership in the red-ball format concludes, he will continue leading the ODI side with his eyes set on the 2027 World Cup.
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Rohit Sharma Retires from Tests
In a surprising move, Indian captain Rohit Sharma has announced his retirement from Test cricket.
The 38-year-old made the decision official just before India’s upcoming tour of England, where the team is set to play a five-match series starting on June 20. This announcement marks the end of an era for Indian Test cricket.
"It has been a true honour to represent my country in Test cricket," Rohit shared on social media, posting a picture of his Test cap. "Thank you for all the love and support over the years."
Despite retiring from Tests, Rohit will continue as captain of India's ODI team, a role in which he has seen great success, including winning the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.
Rohit had already announced his retirement from T20 internationals following India's triumph in the 2024 T20 World Cup.
A Storied Test Career
Rohit Sharma’s Test career spans 67 matches, during which he scored 4,301 runs at an average of 40.57, including 12 centuries.
His memorable 212 against South Africa in Ranchi in 2019 is one of the highlights of his career.
However, recent struggles in the Test format, including a string of low scores, led many to speculate about his future.
Rohit’s tenure as India’s Test captain began in 2022 when he replaced Virat Kohli.
He led India in 24 Tests, winning 12 of them, giving him the highest win percentage for any Indian captain behind Kohli.
Rohit also helped guide India to the final of the World Test Championship in 2023, though they lost to Australia.
Challenges in Recent Times
Rohit’s Test retirement follows a period of mixed performances. In 2024, India suffered back-to-back series defeats at home: a 3-0 loss to New Zealand and a 3-1 defeat in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia.
These results, along with his own struggles with the bat, led to increasing scrutiny of his role.
Rohit was dropped for the fifth and decisive Test against Australia in Sydney, where he was sidelined due to poor form.
His last Test century came over a year ago, in March 2024, when he scored 103 against England in Dharamsala.
Future Plans and ODI Commitment
Despite stepping down from Test cricket, Rohit will continue to be a central figure in India’s One-Day International team.
As captain, he has guided India to multiple successes, and he remains focused on the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup.
Rohit confirmed that he will continue playing ODIs and remains committed to the format for the foreseeable future.
Though the Indian selectors had reportedly discussed potential leadership changes ahead of the England series, Rohit’s sudden retirement has now cleared the air.
Speculation about his future role as captain had been swirling, but his decision to retire from Tests has ended that uncertainty.
Who Will Succeed Rohit?
With Rohit stepping away from Test cricket, the question now is who will replace him as captain.
Jasprit Bumrah, Shubman Gill, and Rishabh Pant are among the leading candidates.
Bumrah has deputized for Rohit several times, and Gill has impressed with his leadership during the IPL, with many seeing him as the front-runner.
This marks the beginning of a new chapter in Indian cricket as the team transitions away from its golden generation, which includes players like Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin.
The future of Indian Test cricket will now rest in the hands of a new set of leaders.
