Rohit Sharma's 'surprise' retirement email jolts BCCI, Agarkar spotted on mystery phone call soon after: Report
Rohit Sharma sent shockwaves as he announced an abrupt end to his Test career on Wednesday night.
In a move that has reportedly shaken Indian cricket’s inner circles, Rohit Sharma quietly bid adieu to his Test career on Wednesday evening. Rohit announced his decision with an Instagram story without much fanfare, and the timing of the announcement has raised more questions than answers, not least because it came barely 24 hours after a high-profile gathering at the BCCI headquarters, where Indian cricket royalty, including Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar, were honoured with rooms named after them, as per a report from Cricbuzz.
Rohit was absent from the ceremony because he was playing for the Mumbai Indians at the time, who were taking on the Gujarat Titans. Yet what no one foresaw, including BCCI officials and Mumbai Indians teammates, was that Rohit would walk away from Test cricket so abruptly.
The report revealed Rohit sent an email to the top brass over his retirement before proceeding with his public confirmation on social media, leaving the fans by surprise.
Ajit Agarkar, the chief selector, was seen engaged in a phone call at the Cricket Club of India around the same time as Rohit’s announcement. Whether it was a last-minute conversation with Rohit remains unknown, but the report suggest the selectors had no prior indication of his decision.
Rohit's retirement comes before England series
This development comes at a crucial time, with a five-Test series in England looming in June-July. There had been murmurs that the selectors were not keen on retaining Rohit as captain for the tour, though no official word was ever released.
A meeting held on Tuesday reportedly discussed the England tour, but it remains unclear whether leadership was on the agenda. A call on the captaincy was expected closer to the IPL playoffs, when the Test squad would be finalised.
Rohit’s IPL season has been a mixed bag. Despite flashes of brilliance, his tally of 300 runs in 11 matches at an average of 30 hasn’t exactly screamed dominance. It was reported by the outlet earlier that Rohit might be weighing his Test future on the basis of how he played in the IPL; as it turns out, there might be some truth in it.
A few support staff members believed to be close to Rohit, including batting coach Abhishek Nayar, were let go, and he publicly praised Nayar shortly after on his Instagram profile. Whether that played a part in his Test exit remains speculative.
Rohit has confirmed his commitment to ODIs and is expected to lead India until the 2027 World Cup.
