Rohit Sharma’s Test Future in Doubt, India Needs to Prepare for Replacement
Former Indian captain Krishnamachari Srikkanth has raised concerns about Rohit Sharma’s future in Test cricket, suggesting that the veteran opener may retire from the format if India performs poorly in the upcoming five-Test series in Australia.
Sharma, who recently announced his retirement from Twenty20 internationals, has been in poor form in Tests, averaging just 26.67 in his last 10 innings. He has also acknowledged his lack of leadership during India’s recent 0-3 home Test thumping by New Zealand.
“You have to start thinking ahead. If Rohit Sharma doesn’t do well, I think he himself will retire from test cricket, for all you know,” Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel. “He’ll play ODIs only. He has already left T20I cricket. We have to keep in mind that he’s also ageing.”
Sharma, 37, has amassed 4,270 runs in 87 Tests at an average of 42.27, but his recent performances have raised questions about his ability to continue at the highest level.
Srikkanth praised Sharma for acknowledging his mistakes in a press conference after the New Zealand series. “Hats off to Rohit for accepting the fact that he played badly throughout the series and captained badly. That’s a great thing,” Srikkanth added. “That’s the first move of a player to get back to rhythm. Accepting your fault is very important. That’s a very important quality of a human being.”
India may be without Sharma for the first Test in Perth beginning on November 22 due to personal reasons. The team needs to win four of their five Tests in Australia to qualify for the World Test Championship final for the third time in a row next year.
Srikkanth believes that India needs to start preparing for Sharma’s potential retirement by identifying a suitable replacement. “We have to start thinking about who will replace Rohit Sharma,” he said. “We have to start looking at the younger players and give them a chance.”
