In early May, when senior India batter Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from Test cricket via an Instagram story, it elicited a bittersweet reaction from his father, Gurunath.
Rohit recently shared that his father, a keen admirer of the longest format of the game, was both “happy but also a little disappointed” by his decision. This sentiment stems from Gurunath’s long-standing preference for red-ball cricket over ODIs and T20s, a passion that only intensified as he watched his son ascend to the pinnacle of the sport.
Rohit’s announcement came just hours after reports surfaced suggesting that the BCCI selectors had opted to remove him from the Test captaincy ahead of the upcoming five-match series against England.
Reflecting on his father’s reaction, Rohit Sharma stated at the launch of Puja Pujara’s book, ‘The Diary of a Cricketer’s Wife,’ in Mumbai, “My father has seen me playing a lot of cricket with red ball, obviously. So he appreciates red ball cricket a lot. And then, obviously, he was a little disappointed when I announced my retirement. But was happy as well at the same time. But, yeah, that’s my father. And he has obviously played a huge role in wherever I am today. Without their help, it never would have been possible.”
His words highlight the profound influence his parents have had on his illustrious career.
