Rohit Sharma has officially retired from Test cricket. His final appearance came in the 2023 Melbourne Test during India’s tour of Australia. Although he was not part of the playing XI for the following Sydney Test—reportedly due to “personal reasons”—many believe that the decision to bench him was not Rohit’s own but rather one made by India’s current head coach Gautam Gambhir.
Former India coach Ravi Shastri has now taken a veiled dig at Gambhir while reflecting on that decision. Speaking on the ICC Review Shastri said: “I’ve seen Rohit at the toss many times. There’s usually not much time to talk then but once during an IPL match in Mumbai I placed my hand on his shoulder and told him ‘If I were still the coach there’s no way I would have let you sit out that match. You had to play. That was the final game of the series.’”
By not featuring in the Sydney Test the Melbourne Test effectively became Rohit’s last in the longest format. India lost that Border-Gavaskar series, and Shastri clearly felt it was a missed opportunity.
He continued: “I’m not someone who gives up just because we’re trailing 2-1. And if you do have that kind of mindset, then Sydney was not the stage to show it. Everyone thinks differently of course. But I had kept this in my heart for a while and I told Rohit exactly how I felt.”
Though Shastri never directly named Gautam Gambhir many believe his comments were squarely aimed at the current head coach. The seasoned commentator added: “That match in Sydney was a 30–40 run game. I told Rohit the same. The Sydney pitch was perfect for batting. It was the ideal opportunity for a struggling Rohit to regain form. If he had gotten in and read the conditions, he could have easily scored 35 or 40. That might have even leveled the series.”
Shastri’s remarks highlight not just a missed tactical chance but also a lingering disagreement in Indian cricket circles over leadership choices and team strategy at pivotal moments.
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