The 37-year-old Rohit chose to sit out with the series on the line, having scored only 31 runs in five innings across three Tests
Navjot Sidhu, Rohit Sharma (Pic: X/AFP)
Former India cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu suggested that dropping captain Rohit Sharma midway through the ongoing Australia tour sends the 'wrong signals', emphasising that this is the first time such a decision has been made in Indian cricket.
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The 37-year-old Rohit chose to sit out with the series on the line, having scored only 31 runs in five innings across three Tests.
“A captain should never be dropped midstream nor given the option to opt out…sends wrong signals…Have seen captain s like Mark Taylor, Azharuddin etc., persisted as captains for a year despite bad form...@ImRo45 deserved more respect and faith from the management…Bizarre coz it happened for the first time in Indian cricket history…Blunder - for a fallen lighthouse is more dangerous than a reef! (sic)," Sidhu wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
A Captain should never be dropped midstream nor given the option to opt out … sends wrong signals …. Have seen Captain s like Mark Taylor , Azharuddin etc persisted as captain for a year despite bad form …. @ImRo45 deserved more respect and faith from the management …… pic.twitter.com/OJcSF9r3fU
— Navjot Singh Sidhu (@sherryontopp) January 3, 2025
Even before the out-of-form opening batsman was dropped for the crucial Sydney clash, Indian media had speculated that Rohit could retire from Test cricket after the series.
The Indian opener quit T20 international cricket last year after lifting the World Cup. He is yet to call time on his ODI career.
If this is it for Rohit in Tests -- the team insisted he was 'rested' -- it would be an ignominious late chapter in the career of the Indian great. As a youngster Rohit studied on a scholarship because his family was unable to afford monthly fees of a few dollars. He overcame all odds to become a cricketing superstar, especially in the white-ball game, his feats including taking his country to World Cup glory in 2024.
He is also the only batsman to have scored three double-centuries in one-day internationals. Prior to his drop-off in form, Rohit gave India real firepower at the top of the innings and his selfless approach allowed the rest of the batsmen to play freely. But the man dubbed the "Hitman" for getting to big scores quickly in spectacular style failed to get past 10 runs in any of his five innings in Australia. He had called his performances "disturbing" while there was also mounting criticism about his decisions as captain.
Rohit missed the first Test in Perth for the birth of his second child, with Jasprit Bumrah assuming the captaincy and playing a starring role with the ball in a big India win. With India trailing 2-1 in the series, vice-captain Bumrah was named to lead the team at the Sydney Cricket Ground as the visitors battle to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
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