In the wake of the World Test Championship (WTC) Final loss, a frenzy has emerged on social media regarding Indian Captain Rohit Sharma alleged retirement from Test cricket
The buzz has left cricket enthusiasts questioning, “Did Rohit Sharma really retire from Test Cricket?” Here we provide a detailed analysis, unveiling the truth behind this viral news.
Has Rohit Sharma decided to take retirement from test cricket and step down from captain role amid reports
Despite the heated discussions and widespread shares, the news of Rohit Sharma’s retirement from Test cricket proved to be a mere fallacy. The fake news emerged from a Twitter account posing as Mufaddal Vohra, a social media personality. The counterfeit account misled thousands of cricket fans, who were led to believe that the news originated from Vohra’s official account.
Rohit Sharma said "Sorry to Team India fans. This is my Last Test match as a captain. Soon I'm going to Retire from the Test cricket. Thank you all ". pic.twitter.com/5J5FwFaqfi
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra6) June 11, 2023
The deceiving post that led to the circulation of the rumor read, “Rohit Sharma said: ‘Sorry to Team India fans. This is my Last Test match as a captain. Soon I’m going to Retire from Test cricket. Thank you all'”. The post rapidly gained traction, receiving over 6000 likes and fueling the speculation.
Scrutiny over Rohit Sharma’s leadership in WTC final
Although the retirement rumor was discredited, Rohit Sharma’s decisions during the WTC Final continue to face heavy criticism. The 36-year-old captain’s choice to bowl first, which proved detrimental to India’s prospects, sparked debate among cricket pundits and fans alike. Furthermore, his controversial decision to exclude India’s go-to bowler, R Ashwin, from the vital match has positioned Sharma under scrutiny.
Following his appointment as Team India’s captain, expectations were high that Sharma would end India’s trophy drought. However, the IPL Champion has yet to bring about a significant shift in Team India’s fortune. India’s loss in both the 2022 T20 World Cup and the WTC 2023, along with failing to reach the Asia Cup 2022 final under Sharma’s leadership, has cast a shadow on his captaincy.
The road ahead for Rohit Sharma
With India having lost nine consecutive ICC tournaments, the stakes have never been higher. The 2023 World Cup, slated to be hosted in India, may represent Sharma’s final opportunity to secure an ICC trophy as captain. Already aged 36, the selectors are reportedly grooming Hardik Pandya as his potential successor.
Despite his questionable decisions during the WTC Final, it’s essential to note Sharma’s commendable batting performance in group matches. The Mumbai-born batsman, who played only 10 out of 19 matches in the WTC 2022-23 cycle, amassed an impressive 700 runs, averaging 43.75.
As the dust settles from the WTC loss and the retiring rumours die down, cricket fans all over the world will be watching Rohit Sharma closely to see what he does next. It’s clear that the Indian cricket captain has a long way to go, and he has a lot more to give the cricketing world.
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