Former India opener Robin Uthappa has reignited the debate around the Test retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, stating that the timing and manner of their exits from red-ball cricket earlier this year did not appear entirely organic.
Kohli and Rohit announced their retirements from Test cricket following a challenging phase for the Indian team. India suffered a disappointing Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, preceded by consecutive home and away series defeats against New Zealand and Australia respectively. The setbacks led to mounting scrutiny around the senior players.
Sudden Announcements Raised Questions
After the Australia tour, both players were asked to participate in the Ranji Trophy, which they did. However, during the Indian Premier League (IPL) season, Rohit Sharma unexpectedly announced his Test retirement through an Instagram story. A few days later, Virat Kohli followed suit on social media, stepping away from the longest format ahead of the important England tour.
At the time, the announcements surprised fans and experts alike. Just days earlier, Rohit had spoken openly about his plans for the England series in a conversation with Michael Clarke, while Kohli had made a much-discussed return to domestic red-ball cricket to regain form.
Uthappa Shares His View
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Uthappa shared his perspective on the situation, while acknowledging that only Kohli and Rohit know the complete truth.
“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.
Reflecting on Rohit Sharma’s lean patch during the Australia tour, Uthappa suggested that a short break could have helped the former Test captain reset.
“When Rohit was not scoring runs in Australia, I felt he should have taken a six-month break and worked on his fitness. I had no doubt that he would score runs,” he added.
Hunger Still Alive in ODI Cricket
Now active exclusively in the ODI format, both Kohli and Rohit have shown strong form and remain focused on the 2027 ODI World Cup. The duo recently featured in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, delivering dominant performances and reaffirming their class in 50-over cricket.
“In both Virat and Rohit, you can see that hunger back in their eyes. It’s endearing to see that drive from veterans who have achieved so much in international cricket,” Uthappa said.
