New Delhi (India), May 12: India’s prized Test players, who once carried the nation’s hopes during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, have now faded into retirement as the new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle is set to begin. Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravichandran Ashwin, who previously played pivotal roles in Australia, struggled when the stakes were highest.
On Monday, Virat Kohli announced his retirement from red-ball cricket, marking a continuation of the trend of prominent Indian players stepping away from Tests. Earlier, Ravichandran Ashwin had also announced his retirement midway through the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. As India prepares to embark on the new WTC cycle with five challenging Tests in England, the team, now guided by Gautam Gambhir, will proceed without these three stalwarts.
Following a 3-0 home series defeat against New Zealand, India arrived in Perth last November to salvage its WTC campaign. With Rohit observing from the stands, the team secured a significant 295-run victory against Australia. Rohit and Ashwin returned for the day-night Test in Adelaide, but both underperformed. Ashwin was benched for the third Test, where rain saved India from defeat. Later, Ashwin and Rohit announced their retirements, with Ashwin’s decision becoming evident after his emotional moment with Virat during the rain break at the Gabba.
Ashwin, despite his previous stellar performance, saw a sharp decline after excelling in the two home Tests against Bangladesh. His form waned in the 3-0 series loss to New Zealand, where he took just nine wickets at an average of 41.22. After being sidelined in Perth and performing modestly in Adelaide, he decided to retire from international cricket.
Rohit, too, struggled to regain his form after a promising home series against England. During the two Tests against Bangladesh, he managed only 42 runs at an average of 10.50. His efforts to bounce back against New Zealand also fell short, scoring just 93 runs in three matches. His performance further dipped in subsequent series, leading to increasing criticism and uncertainty about his future.
For Virat, the series against New Zealand and Australia marked the end of his illustrious career. Despite briefly roaring back to form in Perth with an unbeaten century, his struggles against spin and declining consistency led to his decision to step away from Tests, making room for younger players.
As India transitions to a new WTC cycle, the retirements of these iconic cricketers mark the end of an era, paving the way for a younger, revitalized team.
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