Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retired from Test cricket within a gap of five days in May this year, leaving a big void in the Indian team ahead of the recently held England tour that marked the beginning of the new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.
The sudden retirements raised questions among fans and experts, given that both stalwarts had given hints to continue in Test cricket by playing Ranji Trophy.
Now, former Indian cricketer Kris Srikkanth has slammed the BCCI for not clearly communicating with Kohli and Rohit regarding their Test retirements.
Cheteshwar Pujara’s recent retirement has reignited the debate over star players not being given a fitting farewell.
"If you play 100 Tests for your country, you must be a terrific cricketer. So you should be given a good send-off. I am convinced there was a big communication gap when Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retired. They should have spoken to them, but instead, this is not a good look for the game and Indian cricket," Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel.
According to Srikkanth, Kohli still had at least two years of Test cricket left and should have received a proper send-off.
"Virat Kohli's retirement happened just like that. Virat Kohli deserved a better send-off. He still had two years of Test cricket left in him. But because we drew in England, such talks about him got shut off. However, India will find it difficult to get a cricketer like Virat Kohli for some time," he added.
Virat Kohli, who made his Test debut in 2011, played an instrumental role in India's red-ball resurgence over the past decade with his aggressive captaincy, prolific batting and unmatched intensity on the field.
Kohli led his country in 68 Test matches and suffered defeat in only 17 of them. With 40 wins and 11 draws, he boasts a remarkable win percentage of 58.82, making him the most successful Test captain in India's history.
Kohli ended his Test career with 9230 runs from 123 matches at an average of 46.85, including 30 centuries and 31 fifties, with the highest score of 254.
On the other hand, Rohit Sharma’s 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. He finished 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.
Srikkanth also lambasted the BCCI for not giving a fitting send-off to Pujara. "Similarly with Pujara, though it's been a while since he played for India, they should have spoken to him also about his retirement plans. Of course, the player also has to cooperate and realise when their time is up. Had that happened, Pujara would have got a better send-off. But it's a matter of cooperation between the player, selectors and the BCCI," he remarked.
