Former Indian cricket captain Sunil Gavaskar has shed light on the recent Test retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma ahead of India’s upcoming tour of England. Kohli’s unexpected announcement came via social media on Monday, shortly after Rohit also revealed his decision to retire from Test cricket. Both players, significant figures in Indian cricket, are expected to focus solely on ODIs moving forward, having announced their T20I retirements last year after the T20 World Cup final.
The retirements of Kohli and Rohit leave India with a comparatively inexperienced squad for the five-match Test series against England. Gavaskar speculated that the two might have continued had it been a three-Test series instead of five. “All of us in Indian cricket wanted them to keep playing. If you have to make a decision, they are the only ones who can do it. Maybe they decided that if this were a three-match series, it would have been a different story. But perhaps the fact that this series consists of five Tests over six weeks without a break influenced their decision,” Gavaskar stated in an interview with Sports Today.
He also highlighted the psychological aspect that players face, particularly after a disappointing tour like the recent one in Australia, where both Kohli and Rohit struggled to make an impact. “Questions were raised about many players after the Australia tour, not just one or two but everyone involved in both bowling and batting. Following the first Test victory, there was optimism that India would achieve success in Australia for a third consecutive time, but that did not happen, leading to further inquiries,” he added.
Gavaskar noted that players often start to question their abilities during such challenging periods. “Sometimes you reflect and wonder if you still possess that ability or if you’re finding satisfaction in the game. When these thoughts arise, one might think that stepping back could be a better option. It is challenging to silence those doubts,” he explained.
Original Source: https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/virat-kohli-rohit-sharmas-retirements-decoded-by-sunil-gavaskar-different-story-if-8400320
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Publish Date: 2025-05-14 07:19:00
