“He has always put country above himself”- Former India captain applauds Rohit Sharma’s decision to opt out of 5th BGT 2024-25 Test

Former Indian captain Mohammed Azharuddin has spoken in favor of Rohit Sharma following his decision to opt out of the fifth Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 Test. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Azharuddin stated that Rohit's judgment must be respected.

It is being speculated that the right-hander was 'dropped' owing to his poor form and did not sit out by himself.

However, Azharuddin lauded Rohit Sharma, saying he has always put the team and country above himself. This statement further shows that the former Indian captain backs Rohit's decision to not play the Sydney Test.

"Let’s respect Rohit Sharma’s judgment and leave the speculation aside, he has always put the team and the country above himself," Azharuddin wrote.

Moreover, there has been speculation about Rohit Sharma retiring from Test cricket after the end of the BGT 2024-25 series. His decision to sit out of the final Test had led to more rumors doing the rounds.

However, the Indian batter cleared the air by stating that he is not retiring and is not going anywhere.

Azharuddin added that the decision to continue playing or move away should be left to Rohit alone. He said that the 37-year-old knows best about his own game and performance.

"Whether he plays on or decides to step away is his decision alone—he knows best about his game and performance."

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Rohit Sharma's poor run in BGT 2024-25 with the bat and as skipper

Rohit failed to impress in this series, both as captain and as a batter. He missed the first Test in Perth but returned for the second contest in Adelaide.

The right-hander failed to deliver with the bat, unable to put up a single notable performance. He scored just 31 runs from five innings at a poor average of 6.20. Rohit reached double figures just once, with 10 being his best score in the series. His failure with the bat also seemed to have affected his captaincy.

India won the first Test in Perth, where Jasprit Bumrah led the side. However, they suffered a defeat in Adelaide, drew in Brisbane, and lost again in Melbourne, when Rohit captained the team.

His disappointing display both with the bat and as captain throughout the series has been cause for major concern.