Rohit Sharma Refutes Retirement Rumors: Says He Dropped Himself, Is a Father of 2, and Mature in His Candid Interview

In the ongoing fifth Test between India and Australia in Sydney, Rohit Sharma is not playing. His absence from the playing XI raised several questions. Speaking to broadcaster Star Sports on Saturday, Rohit clarified, saying, “I have not retired.”

He explained, “In the Sydney Test, due to poor form, I made the decision to step aside. It was a tough decision, but I took it in the best interest of the team. The decision of who stays or not in the team is ours, no one else can decide that.”

Rohit further added, “Four to five months ago, my captaincy and my thoughts were very useful. Suddenly, these things began to be considered negative. Right now, runs aren’t coming, but there’s no guarantee that runs won’t come in the future.”

Rohit Sharma’s Thoughts on the Match – Interview with Star Sports

Rohit Sharma shared his insights in an interview with Star Sports, discussing the challenges of the game:

“Before today’s start, the discussion was about how there is a lot of assistance for the bowlers on the wicket, and patience is required. Our batters struggled, and we knew it wouldn’t be easy for their batters as well. The challenge is to maintain constant pressure, and in this session, we managed to take five wickets. The boys really bowled well, and the catching was excellent. The next session is crucial; this is what happens in Test cricket. Every session is decisive, and we won the session before lunch. Now, we hope to win the next session too.”

Rohit Sharma on His Decision to Step Aside from the Game

Rohit Sharma explained his decision to step aside from the game:

“I told the selectors and the coach that I’m not getting runs from my bat, so I decided to drop myself. People sitting outside with laptops, pens, and papers don’t decide when retirement happens or what decision I need to make. I’m not in form, and this is an important match, and we need a player who’s in form. Right now, the priority is what the team needs. I made this decision after we came here (to Sydney). In my mind, it was important to step aside because I’m not making runs. When I reached Perth, it became clear why we won that game. We had a 200-run opening partnership in the second innings, which helped us win the game. KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal played really well and put us in a position where we couldn’t lose the game.”

Rohit Sharma Clarifies He’s Not Retiring

Rohit Sharma made it clear that he has no plans to retire:

“I don’t know what will happen in 6 months or 4 months; I always stay in the present and focus on what needs to be done right now. I am not retiring. I’m not going anywhere. I am out of this game because I wasn’t in form. Life changes every day, and I am fully confident that things will change. I understand, I am mature, and as a father of two children, I know when to do what. You need to understand what the team needs. If you don’t think about the team, then you don’t want players like that. We call it a team, so always think about what the team needs. This is my personal mindset, and this is how I play my cricket and how I am outside cricket today. I am very transparent as a person. I am who I am, and I can’t assure anyone else. If someone doesn’t like me, I don’t mind.”

Rohit Sharma on Team Mentality and Jasprit Bumrah’s Performance

Rohit Sharma shared his thoughts on the team’s mentality and Jasprit Bumrah’s performance:

“Bumrah’s bowling is a class apart. When I first saw him in 2013, his graph has really risen and strengthened. In this format of the game, nothing is given; you have to earn it. In captaincy, not every day will be a good day for you. Thoughts and mentality can be the same, but sometimes the result might not go in your favor. We know a lot of people will criticize us, but I will never doubt myself. It may be wrong sometimes, but we all go there with a winning mentality. We don’t step onto the ground to lose… we step on it to win.”

Rohit Sharma’s Absence and Jasprit Bumrah Takes Over as Captain in Sydney Test

Jasprit Bumrah is captaining India in the Sydney Test. On the first day of the match, Bumrah arrived for the toss wearing a blazer. Captain Rohit Sharma has stepped aside and will not play in the fifth Test. Shubman Gill has been given the opportunity to play in his place.

Rohit Sharma Struggles with Poor Form in BGT-2024

Indian captain Rohit Sharma has struggled in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024. In 5 innings across 3 Tests, he has scored only 31 runs, with an average of 6.20. In 2024, he has scored just 131 runs at an average of 24.76.