Legendary former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has stated that Rohit Sharma may not be the only whose future is in doubt as Team India move on to the next World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. India captain Rohit Sharma choosing to not play the fifth Test of the Australia tour has raised murmurs that he may soon call time on his Test career. However, Gavaskar believes that the Indian management and selectors will need to take a call on not only Rohit, but also possibly some other senior cricketers.
The ongoing Test in Sydney is India’s last of the current WTC cycle, while India’s journey in the 2025-27 WTC cycle kicks off more than six months later, in June, with a tour of England.
“If India does not qualify for the WTC Final, then I think that the selection committee will want to look, not just at Rohit Sharma, but also some others,” said Gavaskar, speaking on Star Sports.
“They might be saying, ‘Look, are they going to be available for the 2027 World Test Championship Final?’ In case India does well in the next two years. So that should be the selection committee’s thinking,” Gavaskar added.
While Gavaskar affirmed that Rohit may not be a part of the think-tank’s long-term aim, he may have also hinted the same in the case of fellow veteran stalwart Virat Kohli, and possibly even Ravindra Jadeja.
Rohit, Kohli and Jadeja are all beyond the age of 36, and have entered the final phases of their career.
“I think Rohit Sharma, being 38 years old (at the start of the 2025-27 WTC cycle), will not be fitting into their plans as a 40-year-old,” Gavaskar said.
Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma stated that his decision to drop out of the fifth Test was one taken only concerning that match, and had no influence on his future.
“I don’t believe in what happens five months later. I want to focus on the present. This decision is not retirement decision. I am not going to move away from the game. But, for this game, I am out because I am not scoring with the bat. There is no guarantee that after five months I will not score runs. Every day life changes. I believe in myself,” he said,” Rohit said, speaking on Star Sports.
“At the same time I have to be realistic as well. I have played this game for so long. Nobody from outside can decide when I should go, or sit out or lead the team. I am sensible, matured, father of two. I know what I want in life,” he concluded.
Topics mentioned in this article
