Rohit Sharma opens up on his sudden retirement from Test cricket

Former India captain Rohit Sharma has admitted that the mental demands of Test cricket played a major role in his decision to step away from the format earlier this year.

Rohit had announced his retirement from Tests with immediate effect in May, shortly after reports surfaced suggesting he had been removed as India’s Test captain.

While reports indicated he would retain his spot as an opener for the upcoming England tour, Sharma opted to bring the curtain down on his red-ball career.

During a local event in Mumbai on Tuesday, the 38-year-old revealed that the five-day grind of red-ball cricket had become increasingly taxing.

“Test cricket demands longevity. You’ve got to last five days. Mentally, it’s very challenging and draining as well,” Rohit Sharma said.

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Reflecting on his journey, the veteran batter credited Mumbai’s cricket culture for shaping his resilience in the longest format.

“In Mumbai, even club matches go on for two or three days. We are brought up that way. It trains you from a young age to deal with long-form cricket and to respond to tough situations,” he explained.

The right-hander represented India in 59 Tests, scoring 4301 runs at an average of 40.57, including 12 centuries and 18 half-centuries.

He also captained the side to the World Test Championship (WTC) final but endured a difficult run in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia last year, managing only 31 runs in five innings.

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