Rohit Sharma’s decision to step away from Test cricket earlier this year still lingers as one of the most surprising calls in Indian cricket. Alongside Virat Kohli, Rohit stunned the cricketing world in May 2025 when he announced his retirement from the longest format, just before India’s five-Test series against England. That came despite him first being adamant about doing great in England. Although his form was quite poor, it was abrupt. However, for those who have shared dressing rooms with the Indian captain, the decision might have been brewing for a while.
Former West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Smith, who played alongside Rohit at Mumbai Indians, believes the Indian opener may simply have lost the inner urge that drives a player in red-ball cricket. ‘Burning sensation’ may not have been there, which is what the Caribbean star mentioned.
“I think most guys, when they’re not feeling that urge or that burning sensation that you want to play and play hard cricket, I think when that is gone, it’s when you know that you’ve got to give up on it,” Smith told Sports Tak.
No farewell Test for Rohit Sharma
The signs were visible in the months leading up to Rohit’s announcement. Since late 2024, his form had dipped sharply, with just one fifty in his last 19 Test innings. A tough tour of Australia, where he averaged barely over six, only made the case worse. By the time the Sydney Test came around, Rohit had already stepped aside, and all thought he was done.
Rohit himself maintained that the decision was about timing. While Tests had given him some of his finest moments, including leading India at home and abroad, the demands of the format no longer matched the stage of his career. At 38, he chose to focus his energy on ODIs, with the Champions Trophy triumph in Dubai earlier this year.
Smith, who himself walked away from international cricket in 2017, drew parallels with his own journey. “My situation was different. I had a lot of things going against me with selection and all that. So I think at the time I did it, it was the right time,” he said.
