Rohit Sharma’s cricketing career has been a story of elegant stroke play, match-winning knocks and an enviable record in white-ball formats. In ODIs and T20Is, his effortless timing and leadership have brought India countless victories. Yet, in the unforgiving arena of Test cricket, recent seasons have raised difficult questions.
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has now openly addressed those questions, recalling the period before Rohit dropped himself from the Sydney Test. Speaking in a teaser video released by a talk show, Irfan praised Rohit Sharma’s limited-overs greatness but did not shy away from pointing out his red-ball struggles. Across eight Tests in 2024 against Bangladesh, New Zealand and Australia, Rohit managed just 164 runs, with only one half-century to his name.
Irfan Pathan explained that if Rohit Sharma had not been the captain during that phase, his form alone might have cost him his place in the XI. He admitted that while television anchors and presenters were cordial with Rohit during interviews, it did not mean they overlooked his poor returns. he said that being polite to a guest on a broadcast was a matter of professionalism but behind the scenes, they had discussed frankly that his Test numbers were far from acceptable.
He clarified that this politeness during coverage had been misconstrued as excessive support for Rohit. The reality, he maintained, was that they had urged him to keep fighting for form while acknowledging that his performances did not merit selection at that time. Rohit eventually sat out the Sydney series finale, a move he himself stressed should not be mistaken for a retirement call. Speaking to a sports channel then, he insisted that he was not stepping away from the game.
However, the story took a different turn just four months later. In May, Rohit officially announced his retirement from Test cricket, bringing an end to a chapter that had once promised much but had recently been shadowed by diminishing returns.
Do you also feel that Irfan Pathan and other commentators showed excessive support to Rohit Sharma during BGT?
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