Star Indian allrounder Shardul Thakur has offered his thoughts on the recent Test retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, characterizing them as deeply personal choices. According to Thakur, these significant decisions typically arise when an individual feels they can no longer contribute effectively or summon the same level of drive required for a particular format of the game.
The Indian Test team faced a challenging period in their previous red-ball season, experiencing consecutive series defeats against New Zealand on home soil followed by a series loss to Australia in their own backyard. The performances of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli during these series came under intense scrutiny, drawing considerable criticism.
As India embarks on their new World Test Championship cycle with a five-Test series against England, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has already announced Shubman Gill as the new captain for this significant tour.
While speaking in an interview, Shardul Thakur commented on the retirements of the two senior batsmen, stating, “They are the most senior figures in the game, but such decisions are personal. It comes when they feel they can’t contribute or drive the format as before.”
With Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli absent from a tour of England for the first time in over a decade, the upcoming series will be a crucial test of how the new leadership and a combined group of players will perform in their absence.
