Australian cricket legend Adam Gilchrist shared his thoughts on Rohit Sharma’s Test retirement and stated that he sensed that Rohit Sharma knew his end in Test cricket was near when he opted to sit out of the Sydney Test in the recent BGT 2024-25 series in Australia.  

Rohit Sharma had missed the first Test in Perth due to paternal leave, which India won in handsome style under Jasprit Bumrah’s captaincy. However, once Rohit Sharma returned, the fortunes turned as India lost the next two Tests, and rain helped them draw the Melbourne Test.

Rohit scored just 31 runs in 6 innings and hence decided to sit out of the SCG Test, in which Jasprit Bumrah captained. But Bumrah suffered a back injury and Virat Kohli led in his stead, as India lost the Test and the BGT 3-1.

Rohit has had a horrid run in Test cricket since September 2024, scoring just 152 runs in 13 innings at only 11.69, comprising one half-century.

Harsha Bhogle, on Cricbuzz, speculated that with less than a month before the Indian squad departs for the forthcoming five-match Test series in England, Rohit had two options when making his decision.

After the disappointing performance in Australia, he firmly believed that the selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, might have passed on his inclusion in the Test squad for the tour. He also thought that Rohit might have made the choice on his own and thought that "Shubman Gill" should assume control.

"My first reaction is that there's been a conversation. He's been told we're not going to pick you for England. That's my gut feel. We don't know," he said. The chairman of selectors lives across the road so we could drag him in and ask him. But my gut feel is post Australia where Rohit looked lost. Gilchrist was in that series to watch closely, he looked lost.

So maybe they've said to him, look, maybe your time in Test has come to an end. And as you do with a lot of great players, you give them the opportunity to retire before they are left. I think that is what might have happened. Unless Rohit himself has said, look, I think I might have. I might have. I've passed my sell-by date for this match. Let me ask Gill," Bhogle said on Cricbuzz.

Adam Gilchrist, under whose captaincy in the now-defunct Deccan Chargers Rohit Sharma had made his IPL debut in 2008, stated that he had sensed it coming right during the Sydney Test.

"It's an odd thing to say, but I'm thrilled for him. Particularly if it's the latter option that you said there. And I think it would be that he's made the decision. I sensed at Sydney, talking to him in and around the Sydney Test, when he left himself out, or whatever the case was there. I just thought, talking with him, I felt like that's the end of the road for him. He was going to allow himself time to go away and the Champions Trophy and see how he's going and stuff. But I congratulate him on a fantastic contribution to his Test career. He's a white ball master, there's no doubt about that. But he's made significant contributions to Test career as well," he said.

"I think he's just realised that maybe the time's right, and I always love people realizing that. So they now get the chance to start to reflect on it and enjoy all the accolades that come his way because they're thoroughly deserved. I'll tell you what is very special,” he added.

Having retired from Tests and T20Is, Rohit Sharma will now only play for India in ODIs, where he is the captain and has set his sights on the 2027 World Cup in Africa.