Rohit Sharma Retires from Test Cricket! Who Will Be India’s Next Captain?

In a stunning social media announcement, Indian captain Rohit Sharma abruptly retired from Test cricket, leaving a major captaincy void.

Rohit Sharma Retires from Test Cricket! Who Will Be India’s Next Captain?

Rohit Sharma recently announced his decision to retire from Test cricket. (via Hindustan Times)

Shocking cricket fans all around the world, Indian national cricket team skipper Rohit Sharma announced his decision to retire from Test cricket with immediate effect, on social media. His decision leaves the team in search of a new red-ball captain, ahead of the much-awaited England tour. 

Rohit Sharma announced his decision to bow out from red-ball cricket on Instagram, while confirming that he would continue to play for India in ODIs. The decision brings his near 12-year old Test career to an end, with him now fully focused on playing One Day Internationals. He had already retired from T20Is, last year, following India’s triumphant 2024 ICC T20 World Cup campaign in the United States and West Indies. 

He assumed India’s Test captaincy three years ago in 2022, after Virat Kohli relinquished the role. Rohit Sharma’s tenure as India’s Test captain has seen a mixed bag of results, with the team registering 12 wins, three draws and nine defeats in the 24 matches he has captained the side. While his decision to retire comes as a shock, it seemed inevitable following the India’s back-to-back Test series defeats. 

Despite being one of India’s top performers alongside Virat Kohli, the 38-year-old endured a nightmare run in the recent Test series against New Zealand and Australia. His captaincy record took a big hit after India was white-washed 0-3 at home by the Kiwis, in its first Test series defeat on home soil in 12 years. It was followed by the Men in Blue relinquishing the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time in eight years.

Rohit Sharma also endured a poor run with the bat, scoring at an average of just 10.93, as a result of which he had to opt out of the final Test of the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, against Australia in Sydney. Nonetheless, keeping aside the criticism, the 38-year-old has been an impressive figure in red-ball cricket for the Indian team, over the past decade.

In 67 matches, he has scored 4,301 runs at an average of 40.57, hitting 12 centuries and 15 half-centuries with a best of 212 against South Africa in 2019. Rohit Sharma had made his Test debut back in 2013 against West Indies at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, scoring a hundred in that match. His red-ball career received a major boost after he was promoted as an opener in 2019.

Meanwhile, it also leaves behind the question of who would lead the Indian Test side, following Sharma’s retirement. While many have toyed with the idea of former skipper Virat Kohli returning as captain, current vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah and Shubman Gill remain contenders. Bumrah had captained the team in the first and the final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. 

Who will take Rohit Sharma’s place in India’s Test side for the upcoming England tour?

With Rohit Sharma’s decision to retire from Test cricket coming just a few months ahead of India’s upcoming tour to England, it lines up a list of players who could replace the 38-year-old in the squad. Despite Sharma’s poor form, he did remain an integral part of India’s red-ball side. 

Rohit Sharma replacement Tests
Sai Sudharsan and Shreyas Iyer have emerged as players who could replace Rohit Sharma, in the Indian Test side. (via NDTV Sports)

Several new faces will be vying to make it to the Indian lineup, following Rohit Sharma’s exit. While Shubman Gill or KL Rahul seem the obvious pick to play as an opener, some other names have also emerged from the domestic ranks. Tamil Nadu opener Sai Sudharsan is being considered for a place in the Indian squad, while Shreyas Iyer could make his return to the red-ball setup, after a year-long hiatus.

Apart from Sudharsan and Iyer, Rajat Patidar and veteran Karun Nair could also make their way into the Indian Test side, for the England tour. Youngsters Dhruv Jurel, Sarfaraz Khan and Ishan Kishan are the others in contention for a place in the side.