Rohit Sharma called time on his Test career on 7th May 2025, weeks ahead of India’s team selection for the ongoing tour of England.

His Test journey began with an impressive 177 against West Indies at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata in 2013. Between 2013-18, he featured in 27 Tests, scoring 1,585 runs at an average of 39.63 with three centuries and 10 fifties.

After an underwhelming start, Sharma revived his Test career as an opener with two centuries against South Africa at Vizag in 2019.

The 38-year-old eventually ended his Test career with 4,301 runs coming from 67 matches at an average of 40.57, including 12 centuries and 18 fifties. He led India in 24 Tests, winning 12 and losing nine games.

Rohit’s red-ball numbers never quite matched his staggering white-ball legacy. Hence, critics often raised questions over his loyalty for Test cricket.

However, former India selector Jatin Paranjpe recently offered a glimpse into the mindset of a young Rohit Sharma who wanted to represent the country in all formats.

“I remember he was not playing Test cricket for India. And we had this conversation, and he said, ‘I started playing cricket with a red ball, Jatin. How can you say that I am not interested in Test cricket?’ I got the message, and I was hoping that that was what he would say,” Paranjpe said in A Centuries of Stories podcast.

When asked if Rohit felt “offended” at the question about his red-ball priorities, Paranjpe replied in positive.

“Yeah, yeah. The perspective he gave me made me sit up and think. His point of view was that 'I've grown up playing with the red ball, how can I be far away from it?' That's, again, his unique perspective,” he recalled.

Rohit Sharma was promoted to open the innings in Tests when Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri were at the helm of affairs.

Paranjpe credited former coach Shastri for the bold move. “That’s the big moment. I remember I was part of the selection committee at that time. That was Ravi Shastri’s idea. Superb thinker. Ravi is 3–4 steps ahead of everybody when it comes to reading the game,” he said.

Having retired from T20Is last year, Rohit Sharma will now focus solely on leading the Indian team in ODI format.