India will need to appoint a new Test captain ahead of this summer’s blockbuster five-match series against England after Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from the format.
Rohit bows out with 4,301 runs in 67 Tests at a respectable average of 40.57, having seen his place in the side come under increasing scrutiny after amassing just one fifty in his last 15 innings.
In that period, India’s 12-year unbeaten run on home soil was ended after a 3-0 whitewash defeat by New Zealand, while they lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to Australia for the first time in a decade.
It was an especially galling trip Down Under either side of Christmas for Rohit, who missed the first Test on paternity leave and the last, having amassed 31 runs in three matches during the series.
After dropping himself for the series finale in Sydney as Australia claimed a 3-1 win, Rohit insisted he still had a future in Tests but the 38-year-old has now decided otherwise.
Rohit retired from T20 internationals after leading India to World Cup glory in the Caribbean and United States last June while he presided over their Champions Trophy success in Dubai earlier this year.
He intends to continue playing for India in the 50-over format but his three-year tenure in charge of the Test side after succeeding Virat Kohli is over.
Alongside a picture of his Test cap, Rohit wrote in a post on his Instagram story: “Hello everyone I would just like to share that I am retiring from Test cricket.
Thank you, Captain 🫡🫡
— BCCI (@BCCI) May 7, 2025
End of an era in whites!@ImRo45 bids adieu to Test cricket. He will continue to lead India in ODIs.
We are proud of you, Hitman 🫡🫡 pic.twitter.com/azlpZFWdhn
“It’s been an absolute honour to represent my country in whites. Thank you for all the love and support over the years. I will continue to represent India in the ODI format.”
Jasprit Bumrah is India’s vice-captain and deputised when Rohit was unavailable in Australia, so the fast bowler will be the red-hot favourite to succeed the opening batter.
India’s next engagement is their Test series against England, which gets under way on Friday June 20 at Headingley and marks the start of both teams’ 2025-27 World Test Championship cycle.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India paid tribute to Rohit on X, saying: “Thank you, Captain. End of an era in whites! @ImRo45 bids adieu to Test cricket. He will continue to lead India in ODIs. We are proud of you, Hitman.”
