ODI captain Rohit Sharma of India’s national cricket team opened to Test cricket assignments a few months after retiring from the longest format of the game.
Rohit Sharma said Test cricket is mentally very challenging and drained, and players need to prepare themselves very well for this format.
Rohit Sharma retired from Test Cricket in May 2025
On May 7, 2025, Modern Batting Gretrocht announced via Instagram that he has retired from Test Cricket and will not be available for his choice for the India Tour of England 2025.
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His retirement was behind India’s humiliating losses in the border against Australia and the Gavaskar trophy and White Wash of the Home Test Series against New Zealand.
There was also a big dip in Rohit Sharma’s form, and with the new ICC World Test Championship cycle starting with the Anderson-Tendulkar trophy, I thought the batter was a deserving time to give way to the youngsters.
His retirement opened the door for a new Test Captain, and the BCCI took responsibility for Shubman Gill, who did a great job against England and helped India draw the Test Series.
Meanwhile, Rohit ran decently as captain, averaging 40.57 in his Test career, scoring 4,301 runs in 67 games.
Mentally, it’s very challenging and equally exhausting – RohitSharma
Rohit Sharma spoke at the set event while talking about preparation for the big moment, saying that as the young cricketer plays the game for fun, he understands the importance of preparation as his journey progresses.
“The game is something you prepare because it requires longevity. It must last five days, especially in the test format. It’s mentally very challenging and exhausting.
“Even in Mumbai, club cricket (match) lasts for two (or three days) when you start cricket at a competitive level.
“…When I started playing the sport, it was all about having fun and having fun (I enjoy it). As you progress, you start cricketing for the age group and you continue to move on from that. Slowly, meet a lot of senior players (and) coaches, they talk about how important it is to prepare well.
“When you’re very young, you don’t understand the importance of preparation. But as you go, as you understand, it gives you the discipline that the game requires.
Many jobs start behind the scenes – RohitSharma
Rohit Sharma further said that it is very important to be mentally fresh while playing Test cricket, and behind the scenes preparation plays a key role in success.
“When you’re playing the longest format, it takes a lot of time, and since you’re talking about high-level performance, when you’re hoping you’ll perform at a high level, it always starts with being mentally fresh,” he said.
“A lot of work starts behind the scenes. Like I said, prepare, because it’s all about to begin. You’ll prepare to keep it on the field for longer,” Rohit said.
“When I started playing in Mumbai and then playing in India, it happened exactly the same (how) as me. I was given a lot of focus and a lot of time before the game started (on).
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