India’s veteran cricketers Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have officially stepped away from Test cricket. The decision, as clarified by BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla, was entirely personal and not influenced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
Rohit and Kohli’s Test Retirement Was Their Own Decision
Addressing recent speculation, Rajeev Shukla made it clear that the BCCI had no role in asking the two senior players to retire from the longest format of the game.
“I want to make it very clear once and for all. We also miss Rohit and Virat. But this decision was taken by them,” Shukla told reporters in London, as quoted by the Times of India.
He further emphasized the BCCI’s policy on player retirement, stating, “BCCI has a very strict policy that we don’t tell any player when or from which format they should retire. It is up to the players, and the duo made their own decision to quit Test cricket.”
The decision comes after both players stepped down from T20 Internationals following India’s title win at the 2024 T20 World Cup. With ongoing struggles in red-ball cricket and a reported internal push for a transition to younger talent, Rohit and Kohli took the call to exit Test cricket on their own terms.
Focus Now Shifts to ODIs and the 2027 World Cup
Although their Test careers have concluded, the legendary duo isn’t done representing India just yet. Rohit and Kohli are committed to continuing in One-Day Internationals and are reportedly eyeing the 2027 ODI World Cup as their next major goal.
Shukla praised their contributions and added, “We will always miss them; they are great batters, and it’s a good thing for us that they are available for one-day cricket.”
Initially, both players were expected to return to the Indian squad for the tour of Bangladesh in August 2025. However, with that series now postponed to next year, India’s next ODI assignment will be against Australia in October.
While the curtains may have fallen on their Test careers, fans can still look forward to watching Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in action in the 50-over format — keeping hopes alive for another World Cup triumph.
