Rohit Sharma's Test career might have met a hasty end after being reportedly left out for the SCG Test. Here's examining how India's much-revered leader fell off his perch.
It’s the second day of the new year, and Rohit Sharma has reportedly opted out for the series-deciding SCG Test. Or he’s been dropped. Or rested. We might never know the real truth. Not that you would expect an official release, but the BCCI site has been conveniently down since the new year kicked in.
Nearly three years ago, Rohit became India’s full-time captain at 34. A month before that, he had been named in ICC’s Test team of the year. Announcing his promotion, chief selector Chetan Sharma had dubbed Rohit the “No.1 cricketer of our country”.
Now, with India 1-2 down in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and one Test remaining, Rohit’s Test career could be over for good. Hours before reports of his “axing” circulated, coach Gautam Gambhir deflected the Rohit question, saying India would look at the wicket before deciding on the playing XI. A full-time captain’s selection is rarely governed by how much grass there is.
Rohit’s fall as a Test cricketer has been dangerously fast.
Six months ago, Rohit would have been an easy pick for any world Test XI. The year started with two hundreds against England at home: in Rajkot, he scored 131 after India were reduced to 33-3. In the fifth Test at Dharamsala, he cracked another century, finishing with 400 runs in the series at 44.44. Only three India captains had hit more runs in a home Test series.
In fact, since the start of the first World Test Championship cycle, and until the end of the England tour, Rohit’s run tally as opener was the second-best in the world. No one had hit more centuries – 9.
India’s Test schedule took a backseat after England’s departure, beginning with two months of the IPL. In December 2023, Rohit had been rather unceremoniously replaced as Mumbai Indians captain by Hardik Pandya. Playing as a pure batter, he ended as the highest run-getter for Mumbai Indians. Yet, unaddressed captaincy controversy lingered in the background, with Rohit publicly calling out host broadcasters Star Sports for intruding on a private conversation and then televising bits of it.
The high before the low
At the T20 World Cup, Rohit’s captaincy hit its zenith. India broke their 11-year long ICC trophy drought, propelling Rohit’s legacy to a higher dimension. He retired from the format moments later, walking away at the top. It was a defining juncture: a new coach was set to take over soon after.
Now a two-format player, Rohit top-scored in a rare ODI series loss to Sri Lanka. It was supposed to be a passing blip, and by then, the anticipation for the Australia tour was already heating up.
India had two home series planned, against Bangladesh and New Zealand. It was supposed to be the soft cushion before the true test began. It ended up being a bruise to Rohit’s credentials, kickstarting the decline.
