Rohit Sharma comments on ‘getting dropped’ despite being a captain, says ‘Some people with laptops...’

Rohit Sharma quashed all rumours about his retirement on Saturday and stated that it was his own decision to step away from the fifth and final Test against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) for the best interest of the Indian cricket team. The Indian captain has been enduring a lean patch in the longest format of the game for the past few months.

With just 31 runs in the ongoing BGT, calls for Rohit's retirement became louder. Even former cricketers Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri said they won't be surprised if Rohit quits Tests after BGT.

And when Rohit's name wasn't there in the Indian team's 16-member official list for the Sydney Test, speculation grew stronger. Asked whether he was dropped, rested or he himself opted out, Rohit said, “None (laughs). I stood down. I told the selectors and coach that runs are not coming from my bat, so I decided to step away.”

"I made this decision after we came here (Sydney), it was going on in my mind that it is important for me to step aside because I wasn't getting runs with the bat.

"Runs are not coming now, but not guaranteed it'll not come 5 months later. I'll work hard,” added the Indian captain. Reacting to the retirement rumours, the India opener gave a blunt answer.

“People from the outside who are sitting with laptop, pen and paper don't decide when I retire or not, what decision I need to take. So they don't decide about retirement,” he added.

Earlier on the day, Rohit was caught on camera having a quick chat with stand-in-captain Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant. Notably, Rohit became the first Indian captain to be dropped mid-series. 

Rohit Sharma in BGT 2024-25

After having missed the first Test in Perth due to the birth of his second child, Rohit returned to the side in Adelaide in the second Test. He batted at No.6 in the second and third Tests before returning to his original opening position in Melbourne in the fourth Test.

Despite all the changes in batting position, Rohit couldn't cross the 10-run mark as his scores in the last five innings read 3, 6, 10, 3 and 9. It is also to be noted that under Rohit, India had lost five of its last six Tests, including a 0-3 drubbing against New Zealand at home.