Rohit Sharma Reveals Why He Took Retirement From Test Cricket- Here’s What He Said

May 11, 2025: Rohit Sharma shocked cricket fans worldwide when he announced his retirement from T20 internationals after leading India to victory in the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup. India triumphed over South Africa by just 7 runs in a thrilling final at Kensington Oval in Barbados on June 29, 2024, marking the country’s first ICC title in over a decade.

Despite being in red-hot form throughout the tournament and top-scoring for India in the final, Rohit made the decision to retire from T20 internationals, catching fans and cricket experts by surprise. His retirement announcement raised eyebrows, especially given that he had just delivered a stellar performance and helped India lift the coveted trophy.

Now, almost a year later, the 37-year-old opened up about his decision in an emotional interview with Vimal Kumar on his YouTube channel. Rohit revealed that his decision to retire was already in his mind, regardless of the outcome of the T20 World Cup. “When I announced my retirement from T20Is… agar hum nahi jeet-te (T20 World Cup), toh mai waise he announce kar deta kyuki bahut try kar liya ab. It’s not fair for me to continue; you have to give chances to the others,” he said, reflecting on how he felt it would be unfair to keep playing if the team was not performing.

However, winning the World Cup brought a different perspective. Rohit admitted that after the triumph, he felt he still had the game in him, with his excellent form and the results proving his worth. “But after winning, you feel that you still have it in you; you are playing well, and you have given the result as well, so why not? Why not continue?” he added. “Because this place that you have earned by no means came to you just like that. You worked really hard for it. I know what all I have done in my life and all the things I have gone through to get this.”

Rohit further explained that he wouldn’t have continued if his performance had been declining. “If you are not able to give results, not bat well, and something is going wrong, then it’s okay. Then in any way you have to tell yourselves that ‘Mate, it’s over.’ But I batted well in the T20 World Cup; the result was also good – happy times. Then why? But andar se ek feel aa jaata hai ki yaar abhi yaha par…” he said, hinting that he felt the time had come for him to step away from the T20 format while still at the top of his game.

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The Mumbai cricketer, who ended his T20I career with 4,231 runs in 159 matches, holds numerous records, including the most runs and sixes in T20Is. His leadership also earned him a spot in cricketing history, becoming one of only three Indian captains to win an ICC trophy.

Rohit’s decision to retire after his World Cup triumph symbolized the culmination of a remarkable journey in the shortest format of the game. As one of the game’s most influential players, his legacy will continue to inspire future generations of cricketers, as he moves forward to focus on other formats, particularly ODIs, where he will continue to represent India.