Context:

Rohit Sharma, the captain of the Indian cricket team, has announced his retirement from Test cricket but intends to continue playing and captaining in one-day internationals. Despite reports of his removal as Test captain for the upcoming series in England, Sharma expressed gratitude for his Test career through an Instagram post. He has been a significant figure in Indian cricket, having succeeded Virat Kohli as captain and achieving a notable win percentage. Under his leadership, India reached the World Test Championship final but also suffered a rare home series defeat to New Zealand and a loss in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to Australia. Sharma's decision follows his earlier retirement from T20 internationals after winning the 2024 T20 World Cup.

Dive Deeper:

• Rohit Sharma has decided to retire from Test cricket while continuing to lead and play in one-day internationals, emphasizing his ongoing commitment to the shorter format of the game.

• He announced his retirement amid reports of being removed as Test captain ahead of the Test series in England, yet he remains a pivotal figure in India’s cricketing strategy in ODIs.

• Sharma took over the Indian Test captaincy from Virat Kohli in 2022 and has since won half of his 24 Tests as captain, establishing a strong win record second only to Kohli.

• During his tenure, India reached the final of the World Test Championship in 2023, though they were defeated by Australia, highlighting both his achievements and challenges as a Test captain.

• His leadership faced scrutiny after overseeing a rare 3-0 home series defeat to New Zealand and a 3-1 loss to Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, leading to his exclusion from a crucial fifth Test in Sydney due to poor form.

• Rohit's retirement from Test cricket follows his earlier decision to step away from T20 internationals after leading India to victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup, marking a strategic shift in his cricketing focus.

• He expressed gratitude for his Test career through a heartfelt Instagram post, acknowledging the support and honor of representing India in the traditional format.