Former India cricketer Joginder Sharma, who was part of the 2007 T20 World Cup winning team, thinks that Test legends Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma still have more to give, even though they’ve just retired from the format. With India gearing up for an important tour of England, Virat announced his retirement from Test cricket on Instagram last Monday, just days after Rohit stepped away from the format too. Joginder acknowledged that losing these two players creates a gap, but believes that the depth in India’s team will help them bounce back.
Virat’s fitness and performance don’t suggest this was the right time to retire. I think he should have kept playing, and the same goes for Rohit. Everyone faces tough times. The depth of talent in our country shows we can recover. No one can directly replace a legend, but cricket has to go on, he told ANI.
He pointed to Australia, saying that even after their great players retired, they still maintained their top status. Australia is still seen as one of the best teams, even without their big-name players, he added.
Virat’s 14 years in Test cricket turned India into a winning team, bringing in a fierce attitude and a focus on fitness among a mix of young and experienced players. Over his career, he scored 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, with 30 centuries and 31 fifties, making him India’s fourth-highest run-scorer in Tests. Rohit finished his Test career with 4,301 runs at an average of 40.57, including 12 centuries and 18 fifties in 67 Tests.
Virat’s retirement is part of a trend of players stepping back from Test cricket in India. Before him and Rohit, notable spinner Ravichandran Ashwin had also announced his retirement from international cricket during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.