Rohit Sharma's Test Retirement: Parallels with MS Dhoni's Exit

Rohit Sharma's Surprising Test Retirement

Just a month prior to the Test series between India and England, Rohit Sharma surprised fans by announcing his retirement from Test cricket. The selectors were considering dropping him as the Test captain, prompting Rohit to step away from red-ball cricket ahead of the selection meeting. Shubman Gill is now anticipated to take over as the next Test captain.

Interestingly, Rohit shared his retirement announcement at 19:29, a time that many fans associated with MS Dhoni, who famously wore jersey number 7 and retired in 2020 at the same hour. Fans quickly noted the striking similarities between the retirements of Rohit and Dhoni. Here’s a closer look at those parallels:

4 Parallels Between the Test Retirements of Dhoni and Rohit

Both Led India in Their Final Test Appearance

MS Dhoni was at the helm during his last Test match, which took place on Boxing Day in 2014 against Australia, retiring immediately after that game. Virat Kohli took over the captaincy following his departure. Similarly, Rohit Sharma captained India in his final Test, which was also the Boxing Day Test, but in 2024. He opted out of the fifth Test and announced his retirement just four months later.

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Identical Venues for Their Last Tests

Both cricketers concluded their last home and away Tests at the same venues. Dhoni's final home Test was held at Wankhede Stadium against the West Indies. Eleven years later, Rohit also played his last Test at Wankhede, facing New Zealand. This venue also marked Rohit's debut in 2013 during Sachin Tendulkar's farewell series.

Continued Leadership in Limited-Overs Formats

After stepping away from Test cricket, both Dhoni and Rohit continued to play in limited-overs formats. Dhoni remained active in white-ball cricket until 2019. Currently, Rohit is focused solely on ODIs and is expected to lead India until the 2027 World Cup. Under his captaincy, India clinched the 2025 Champions Trophy and reached the finals of the 2023 World Cup. He also guided India to victory in the T20 World Cup 2024 before retiring from T20Is.

Quiet Departures Without Farewell Matches

Neither Dhoni nor Rohit hinted at their retirements before making the announcements. Dhoni's unexpected exit after the 2014 Test against Australia caught everyone off guard, and Rohit followed suit with a similar approach, announcing his retirement quietly on social media without a farewell match.