India captain Rohit Sharma announces retirement from Test cricket
Veteran opener to continue leading India in the ODI format
DUBAI: India’s red-ball captain Rohit Sharma has officially retired from Test cricket, bringing the curtain down on a decade-long journey in whites.
The 38-year-old made the announcement on Instagram, thanking fans for their support and expressing pride in representing the country in the longest format.
Sharma confirmed he will continue to lead India in One Day Internationals.
A mixed series
The retirement comes shortly after India’s five-match Test series against Australia, where Sharma’s form dipped considerably. He played in only three of the matches, managing just 31 runs in total. Ahead of the final Test, Sharma voluntarily stepped aside from the playing XI amid scrutiny over his performance. Jasprit Bumrah stepped in as captain in his absence.
A decade in whites
Rohit Sharma made his Test debut in 2013, scoring 288 runs in his first series against the West Indies. Over time, he established himself as a reliable opener, especially from 2019 onwards. Across 67 Tests, Sharma amassed 4301 runs at an average of 40.6, including 12 centuries and 18 fifties. His highlights include playing in two ICC World Test Championship Finals and being part of India’s historic series win in Australia in 2020/21.
Limited overs focus
This retirement follows his earlier exit from T20 Internationals after captaining India to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup title in 2024. In 2025, he also led India to victory in the ICC Champions Trophy in Dubai. With this transition, Sharma now shifts focus solely to the 50-over format, where he remains the captain.