Two great players of the Indian cricket team, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, announced their retirement from Test cricket in May 2025. After this shocking decision, many discussions started in the cricket world.
This is their personal decision – Rajiv Shukla
Meanwhile, Vice President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India Rajiv Shukla spoke to the media after meeting King Charles III at St James’ Palace in England. He said, “This is their (Rohit-Kohli) personal decision. We will always miss them. They are both great batsmen. The good thing is that they are still available in ODIs.”
India had to face defeat in Tests against New Zealand and Australia in the 2024-25 season, after which questions were raised on the Indian Test team. But, Rajiv Shukla rejected the reason that both the players have retired from Test cricket due to poor performance.
Shukla also informed that both the players are still part of the team for limited overs tournaments like World Cup 2027. The captaincy of the Indian Test team is now in the hands of Shubman Gill, who led India to its first Test win at Edgbaston. His captaincy is being praised, and discussions have started whether he can also get the ODI captaincy. However, BCCI Vice President Rajiv Shukla did not comment on this.
Asked Akash Deep about his sister’s health
During this, India’s men’s and women’s teams met King Charles III in London. Shukla described this occasion as historic. He said, “King Charles asked personal questions to all the players, even inquired about the illness of fast bowler Akash Deep’s sister. He seemed very humble and it did not feel like we were talking to a king.”
Shukla also told that King Charles also asked questions about the late Arun Jaitley and sent condolences to his family. This meeting was very special for the Indian team, which the players accepted with great happiness and pride.
FAQ
Were Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli forced to retire from Test cricket?
According to BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla, neither Rohit Sharma nor Virat Kohli was forced to retire from Test cricket. Their decisions were personal and based on their own considerations.
What did Rajeev Shukla say about their retirement?
Rajeev Shukla stated that the BCCI did not push Rohit or Kohli to retire from Test cricket. He emphasized that these players made their choices independently.
Why did Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli step away from Test cricket?
Both players have focused more on limited-overs formats recently, and their decisions to step away from Test cricket were driven by personal reasons, fitness management, and workload considerations.
Is this retirement permanent or temporary?
As of now, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have stepped away from Test cricket, but there has been no official confirmation on whether it is permanent or if they might return in the future.