"I stood down" - Rohit Sharma drops massive statement on his absence from BGT 2024-25 5th Test

Team India skipper Rohit Sharma has reaffirmed that he wasn't dropped from the playing XI for the fifth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 in Sydney. While vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah came out for the toss, Shubman Gill replaced Rohit in the playing XI.

There have been talks about Rohit's retirement from Test cricket amid his ongoing bad patch in the format. The right-handed batter aggregated only 31 runs across five innings at an average of 6.20 in the series.

Rohit was eventually not in the team sheet for the Sydney Test. While Bumrah asserted that the skipper 'opted to rest', several former cricketers reckoned that the veteran batter has played his last Test.

However, Rohit Sharma confirmed that the decision was taken keeping his current form in mind. He added that it was in the best interest of the team, given that it is a must-win Test to give themselves a chance to make it to the World Test Championship final.

In an interview with Star Sports during the Lunch break on Day 2, Rohit said:

"I stood down, that's what I will say. There are fifty words that'll be thrown around. The chat that I had with the coach and the selectors was simple - runs weren't coming off my bat, I wasn't in form and it was a must-win match. I felt I had to inform the coach and the selectors and this was my decision. They told me you know your game best."

"I am not thinking much of the future. At this point, this is what the team required. I took this call after coming here (not in Melbourne). We had only three days after the last Test and one of them was New Year's. I didn't want to tell the coach and selectors on that day. But it was important for me," he added.

India currently trail 1-2 in the five-match series. They won the first Test in Perth before losing the day-night fixture in Adelaide. The rain-marred contest in Brisbane ended in a draw before Australia won the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne to take an unassailable lead.

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"This decision is not a retirement decision" - Rohit Sharma on his captaincy future

When quizzed about his captaincy future, Rohit Shama asserted that he isn't stepping away from the game. He is also hopeful of rediscovering his batting form in the coming months.

"Like I said, this decision is not a retirement decision, nor am I stepping aside from the game," Rohit said in the same interaction. "I am sitting out this game since my bat isn't clicking. It doesn't mean it won't click five months or two months down the line. But at the same time I have to be realistic. Whatever someone writes sitting behind a laptop or pen doesn't matter. They don't get to decide when I retire, when I don't play. I am a successful man, a father of two kids so I know what I need in life."

Rohit Sharma made his Test debut in 2013 against the West Indies at Eden Gardens. He has scored over 4000 runs in 67 Tests at an average of 40.57, including 12 centuries and 18 fifties.