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For the fifth and final Test match against Australia, Team India skipper Rohit Sharma opted to rest himself following the string of underwhelming performances.
The move has led his future in doubt and also evokes emotional responses from his successor Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant.
Rohit Sharma opted to rest himself from the final Test match against Australia after being able to score just 31 runs in five Test innings in three matches. Shubman Gill came in place of the skipper for the Sydney Test.
Jasprit Bumrah took over the leadership role. The speedster had earlier led the side during the first Test match in Perth which Team India won by 295 runs.
“Our captain has shown leadership, he has opted to rest,” said Bumrah at the toss.
“It shows the unity we have in the team,” he added in front of a packed arena, trying to put an end to talks of dissension in the dressing room.
The day ended with India getting bowled out for 185 runs after opting to bat first.
Rishabh Pant who was the top-scorer for India in the first essay opened up on how difficult was it for him to hold back his aggressive instincts. The left-hander played a knock of 40 runs which came in 98 deliveries.
The wicketkeeper-batsman also spoke about Rohit Sharma`s snub from the final Test.
“It was an emotional moment. He is our leader but it`s a team management call (of which Rohit is a part). I was not part of the conversations and can`t say more,” he said.
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Rohit Sharma in all his previous innings of the ongoing series looked pale and struggling to play even his trademark shot, front foot pull.
During the customary pre-match warm-up session, Rohit was seen playing football with Virat Kohli, Pant and Sarfaraz Khan, who along with Abhimanyu Easwaran will end the series without getting an international game.
After this, Rohit was seen engaged in a discussion with the team`s video analyst Hari Prasad. He left the outfield close to the toss time before Bumrah walked out to a loud roar from the capacity crowd.
When the TV cameras panned on him, Rohit was seen sitting outside the dressing room with fielding coach Ryan Ten Doeschate by his side. Head coach Gautam Gambhir sat a distance from the duo.
Former India player Sanjay Manjrekar lauded Rohit Sharma for his decision.
“So typical of Rohit Sharma. Doing the right thing, doing what`s right for the team. But could not understand the `cloak & dagger` around the issue. Wasn`t even talked about at the toss,” he posted on `X`.
Looking at India`s practice session on the eve of the game it was clear that Rohit was going to sit out. Speculation over his future in the longest format also gained momentum after India lost the fourth Test in Melbourne, tying the five-match series 1-2.
The year 2024 turned out to be the least productive year for Rohit in Test cricket as he collected 619 runs in 26 innings across 14 matches averaging 24.76.
Having played his 67th five-day game in Melbourne, Rohit is also being expected to call time on his roller-coaster Test career soon.
Rohit Sharma could not replicate his stellar success in white ball cricket over the course of his 11-year Test career.
After not realising his potential in the middle-order following his debut in 2013, Rohit`s red ball career got a second wing in 2019 when he started opening.
Last year Rohit guided India to a much-awaited T20 World Cup title but his performances dropped drastically in the traditional format.
His longtime teammate and former captain Virat Kohli is also facing criticism for his repeated dismissals outside the off-stump in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy thus far.
(With PTI Inputs)
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