Struggling for runs in the longest format of the game lately, India skipper Rohit Sharma decided to step aside from the fifth and final Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground earlier this month.
Rohit was all over the place in the tour Down Under, managing just 31 runs in five innings at an abysmal average of 6.20 -- the lowest by a touring captain on Australian soil.
Speculations over his Test future gained momentum after India lost the Boxing Day match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Rumours are rife that the Melbourne Test may have been Rohit's last for India, considering that the 37-year-old is unlikely to be in the scheme of things for India's next WTC cycle, which begins with the tour of England later this year.
Rohit Sharma called time on his T20I career after leading India to the T20 World Cup triumph last June, and Suryakumar Yadav took over the reins a month later. Jasprit Bumrah, who led India at Perth and Sydney in Rohit’s absence, looks poised to captain the national team in Test cricket going forward.
With increasing speculations over his future, former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar feels that Rohit will decide his future on his own but acknowledged that the selectors may have a say in the matter as well.
"I believe that in Indian cricket, Tendulkar decided his future, and Rohit Sharma will decide his future. Retirement is a personal decision—how long you want to play or how much more you want to contribute is up to the player. Ultimately, though, it's also up to the selectors—in this case, Mr. Ajit Agarkar and his team," said Manjrekar on an episode of 'Deep Point' podcast by Star Sports.
The heat is also on Virat Kohli, who finished the tour of Australia with an average of 23.75 and scored only 440 runs in 21 Test innings at an average of 23.15 last year. As a result, his career average has dropped to 46.85 after 123 Tests.
Manjrekar also felt that Kohli must try out County cricket for a season in England before the five-match series later this year to enhance his Test game.
"Kohli needs to play a lot of red-ball cricket. The first Test in England is in June, while the County Championship begins in April. He could join a County team, like Pujara did, and gain valuable match practice. India can then evaluate his performances in the initial Test matches," Manjrekar stated.
"If there are positive signs, he can continue. But the last thing you want is Kohli going there and struggling, as we've seen before. That wouldn't be good for Indian cricket. Playing County cricket could be a very sensible move for him," he added.
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