By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
India captain Rohit Sharma on Wednesday announced his retirement from Test cricket ahead of the team’s tour of England starting next month.
It comes after reports on Wednesday that the 38-year-old would be removed as captain for the Test series in England this summer.
“Hello everyone, I would like to share that I am retiring from Test cricket,” Rohit posted on his Instagram story, alongside a picture of his Test cap.
“It has been an absolute honour to represent my country in whites,” Rohit posted.
“Thank you for all of the love and support over the years.”
Rohit will continue to play ODIs and remains skipper in that format, having won the Champions Trophy in March.He retired from T20 internationals after winning the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Rohit has played 67 Tests and has been India’s captain since replacing Virat Kohli in 2022.
He won half of his 24 Tests as skipper, giving him the best win percentage as India captain behind Kohli, and reached the final of the World Test Championship in 2023, where India lost to Australia.
But last year Rohit oversaw the 3-0 home defeat by New Zealand – India’s first Test series defeat at home for 12 years – and the 3-1 loss in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia.
Rohit was dropped for the decisive fifth Test in Sydney after a run of poor form.
The elegant right-hander retires having made 4,301 Test runs at an average of 40.57 with 12 centuries. His top score was 212 against South Africa in Ranchi in 2019, scored off just 255 balls.
India are due to face England in a five-Test series this summer, starting at Headingley on June 20. Of his seven Tests played in England, Rohit scored one century, with 127 at The Oval in 2021.