India batting stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli shocked the cricketing fraternity and fans with their shocking retirement calls from Tests. The batting duo hung up their boots from the longest format of the game following a dismal outing in Australia during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.
Uthappa on Rohit and Virat's Test retirement
Rohit, who captained India in Australia Tests, announced his Test retirement on May 7, 2025, and Kohli also bid adieu from the whites on the 12th of the same month before the five-Test match series against England. Their retirement calls sparked speculations that the duo were forced to retire. Former India cricketer Robin Uthappa, who was a part of India's T20 World Cup 2007 winning team, believes both of those retirements were unnatural.
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“I don’t know if it was a forced surrender, but it definitely didn’t seem like a natural exit. What the truth is, they themselves will have to share in their own time. But I don’t think it was natural,” Uthappa said on his YouTube channel.
“When Rohit was not scoring runs in Australia, I felt that he should take a break for six months and work on his fitness. I had no doubt in my mind that he would score runs,” he added.
Rohit and Virat continue in ODIs
The batting duo announced their T20I retirement after India's T20 World Cup 2024 win, but they are still featuring in the ODIs. Their last international outing came in the three-match ODI series against South Africa, where Virat scored 312 runs, including two consecutive centuries and one half-century. On the other hand, Rohit scored 146 runs, including two half-centuries with a highest score of 72.
Rohit and Virat's upcoming assignment
The batting duo recently featured in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 matches, where they smashed centuries. They will now be seen featuring in the three-match ODI series against New Zealand, which will start from January 11.