'I am not retiring' - Rohit Sharma Squashes Test Retirement Rumours

India skipper Rohit Sharma, who was left out of the Playing XI for the present fifth and final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, has spoken out about his desire to continue playing the longest format of cricket. Rohit Sharma discussed why he chose to "rest" during the fifth India-Australia Test in Sydney.

Many people assumed he was going to retire because he hadn't been doing well. At 38 years old and with no more Tests scheduled for months, it appeared like his career was over. He only scored 31 runs in five innings, prompting him to walk away. Following his absence from the Playing XI, there were suggestions that he would be dropped from the Indian Test team. However, the Nagpur native has declared that he is here to stay.

Rohit Sharma dismisses rumours:

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Rohit was seen in a conversation after lunch on Day 2, as the Indians returned with four wickets against the Australian batting. Rohit stated in a candid talk with Jatin Sapru and former India cricketer Irfan Pathan that a few people cannot decide his future and that he is wise enough to decide his own fate in red-ball cricket.

During an interview with Star Sports, Rohit Sharma said, "I have stood down from this Test but I am not going anywhere. This is not a retirement or moving away from the format. For a guy with a mic, pen, or laptop, what they write or say doesn't matter. They cannot decide for us. I took the call to stand down after coming to Sydney. Yes, runs are not coming but there is no guarantee that you won't be able to score two months down the line or six months down the line. I am mature enough to know what I am doing."

Rohit's decision allowed Shubman Gill to participate in India's crucial fifth Border-Gavaskar Trophy match, in which the team is down 1-2. He went on to explain that he can't predict if he will score runs in the future, but all he has to do now is work hard. 

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