Rohit Sharma, the right-hand batsman and opener, was praised by former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar for dropping out of the starting lineup for the fifth and final Test match.
At the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday, in the fifth and final Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, right-hand batsman Rohit Sharma made the decision to leave the playing XI, which was praised by former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar. “Well done, Rohit! How open the conversation was on @StarSportsIndia. Integrity at its best. “I chose to opt out because we couldn’t bring too many batters who weren’t playing well to Sydney,” Sanjay Manjrekar wrote in a post on X.
When Jasprit Bumrah emerged at the toss, confirming Rohit’s exclusion from the playing XI, the cricket world was shocked. The replacement captain attested to Rohit’s opt-out at the time of the toss.
In an interview with host network Star Sports at lunchtime on Saturday, Day 2 of the fifth and final Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy between Australia and India, opener and right-hand batsman Rohit Sharma gave an explanation for his absence from the series’ final Test.”I have stood down from this Test but I am not going anywhere. This is not a retirement or moving away from the format. A guy with a mic, pen or laptop, what they write or say, it 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,” According to press reports, Rohit Sharma told.
“I had a straightforward conversation with the coach and the selector: this is a crucial game, we need players who are in form, and my bat isn’t making runs. The boys aren’t playing well as it is. I therefore had the straightforward idea that we cannot carry guys who are not playing well. I felt that I should share my thoughts with the coach and the selector because of this. They supported my choice. “They said you are the best judge of what you are doing because you have been playing for so long,” he continued.
Even before the series loss against the Kiwis, when India faced Bangladesh, the explosive opener amassed just 42 runs in two Test matches with an average of just 10.50. In the current BGT series, Rohti has only 31 runs in three matches and five innings at an average of 6.20 and a best score of 10. Former players praised Rohit’s gesture of resignation, saying it exemplified his selflessness. Rohit’s fiery opener, who has lost his flamboyance, contributed just 91 runs across three Test matches, averaging 15.17.”Rohit Sharma is an excellent example of leadership since he is sincere and selfless. He puts the success of the team above his own difficulties, standing aside when needed. His leadership in the ongoing Test series is a testament to his steadfast commitment to India’s triumph. Raina wrote on X, “A real game legend.”
In an X post, former Indian batsman Sanjay Manjrekar wrote, “Congratulations to Rohit! What an open conversation on Star Sports India. Sincerity at its best.Since we couldn’t bring too many ineffective batters to Sydney, I chose to stay home.
Rishabh Pant, the wicketkeeper batsman, previously discussed Rohit’s absence at the press conference held after the day. Since he wasn’t involved in those discussions, the decision was emotional for him but didn’t offer much clarification.
“I believe the choice was made emotionally. “We see him as a team leader because he has been captain for a long time, but I believe there are some decisions that you are not involved with and it is a very management call. I was not part of that conversation, so I cannot explain anything other than that,” Pant said.
