India captain Rohit Sharma has announced his retirement from Test cricket, bringing an end to a memorable red-ball career while confirming he will continue to play One-Day Internationals (ODIs).
The 38-year-old made the announcement on Instagram, saying, “It has been an absolute honour to represent my country in whites,” alongside a photo of his Test cap. He also thanked fans for their unwavering support over the years.
Rohit’s retirement comes amid reports suggesting he would be removed as Test captain ahead of the upcoming series in England this summer. Despite stepping away from Tests, Rohit remains India’s ODI captain and recently led the team to victory in the 2025 Champions Trophy. He had already retired from T20 internationals after winning the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Since taking over as Test captain from Virat Kohli in 2022, Rohit led India in 24 Tests, winning half of them—giving him the second-highest win percentage among Indian Test captains, behind Kohli. He also led the team to the final of the 2023 World Test Championship, where India lost to Australia.
However, his later captaincy was marred by a dip in form and results, including a historic 3-0 home Test series defeat to New Zealand and a 3-1 loss to Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He was eventually dropped for the crucial fifth Test against Australia in Sydney.
In total, Rohit played 67 Test matches, scoring 4,301 runs at an average of 40.57, with 12 centuries. His highest score was 212 against South Africa in 2019. Since his last Test hundred in March 2024, he managed just one half-century in 15 innings.
The upcoming five-match Test series against England, starting on 20th of June in Leeds, will mark the beginning of the new World Test Championship cycle. Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who has deputised for Rohit in the past, is a likely contender for the captaincy.
Tributes poured in following Rohit’s announcement. Roger Binny, current BCCI chair and former India all-rounder, praised Rohit’s calm leadership and professionalism, stating that Indian cricket was fortunate to have had him both as a player and as a captain.
