Rohit appeared for a mid-session chat with Star Sports on day two, clearing the air on his much-debated absence from the final Test of the series.

He made it clear that he was not retiring from the Test format, but had made the decision to step down from the SCG Test to let another batter come in.

"I am not going anywhere!" Rohit emphatically said at the end of a 15-minute conversation during lunch on day two where he explained the reason behind his absence from the series decider. Earlier, he had made an appearance during a drinks session, speaking with stand-in skipper Jasprit Bumrah.

Also read: 'Not an all-time great' - Sanjay Manjrekar criticises 'mysterious' manner of Rohit Sharma omission

Rohit: I stood down, because I was out of form

"I stood down," Rohit said. "I'll say one word, but there are about fifty ways to describe it. The chat that I had with the coach and selector was very simple: the runs aren't coming out of my bat, I am not in form, it's an important match and we need players who are in form. Our batters haven't really been in form.

"You can't carry too many out-of-form players. It was simple.

"I told this to the coach and selectors, and they backed me. They told me I had been playing for several years, and I knew what I was doing. It was a difficult decision, but all things considered, it was a sensible one."

"I won't think too ahead, the thinking at the point was what the team needed".

Rohit: "This is not a retirement decision"

He continued: "I made the decision here [in Sydney]. After the match [Boxing Day Test], we had just two days, including New Year's. I didn't want to say to the coach and selector at that time. It was playing on my mind – I was trying, but it was not working out. I had to step aside".

"This is not a retirement decision, neither am I stepping away from the game. I am out of this Test because I am out of form. There's no guarantee that the runs won't come after two months or five months. We have seen it too often in cricket: every minute every second, every day, life changes".

"I have belief in myself that things will change. At the same time, I have to be realistic with myself. The opinions of those with a mic, a pen, or a laptop can't change our life. I have played for so many years, they can't decide when we should retire, when we should sit out or lead".

"I am sensible and mature, the father of two kids – I have some idea about what to do with life".

Follow Wisden for all cricket updates, including live scores, match stats, quizzes and more. Stay up to date with the latest cricket news, player updates, team standings, match highlights, video analysis and live match odds.