From middle-order misfit to opener supreme: Rohit Sharma’s Test legacy unlike any other ...Middle East

MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Shahid Afridi, Michael Bevan, Gautam Gambhir are among those few individuals who adorned ODI cricket with supreme performances but aren’t really known for elongated Test heroics. With Rohit Sharma officially retiring from Test cricket, he might now fall into that category—an insanely talented player who couldn’t quite crack the “Test” code.

One could easily subscribe to this debate, especially given Rohit’s exorbitant numbers in white-ball cricket. This discussion will now have a definitive conclusion, with the “Indian captain” having quietly bowed out of Test cricket months after dropping himself for the betterment of the side. The stakes were at an all-time high back then, with the Sydney Test carrying heavy weight due to a WTC final spot on the line.

Best in white-ball; what about Test, Rohit?

The entire eve of the fifth Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) Test was focused on one question: will Rohit play or will he not? Well, as it turned out, he did not. The Hitman, enduring the worst series of his Test career, made the unselfish call to sit out. That day in Sydney sent down a subtle transition signal. And as we now know, that was the end. With India’s next Test series then scheduled six months later in England, many suspected Rohit’s last Test might have come at the MCG. That suspicion is now confirmed.

Three double hundreds, a rollicking 2023 ODI World Cup, most (7) ODI World Cup hundreds, joint-most hundreds in T20 internationals, second-fastest to 10,000 ODI runs (by innings), most runs in T20Is (4231)—Rohit Sharma is untouchable in white-ball cricket. If not for Virat Kohli, Rohit might have been hailed as India’s greatest ever limited-overs batter. But in Tests, the story always felt incomplete.

Rohit was 144 international matches old when India handed him his long-awaited Test debut. It came in the same series that saw Sachin Tendulkar bid farewell after 200 Tests. It was the Master Blaster who handed Rohit his Test cap. Rohit responded with 177 and 111* at Wankhede, and the country believed they’d found their next all-format gem. But then came a slump—eerily reminiscent of his early ODI career. He had to wait almost four years for his third Test century.

Rohit Sharma: 1st phase of Test career (middle-order batter)

After inconsistent performances, Rohit was sidelined. Though he was part of India’s historic 2018/19 BGT triumph, he featured in only 2 Tests, scoring one fifty across four innings. He was dropped again. But Virat Kohli and coach Ravi Shastri saw something in Rohit. His white-ball dominance as an opener prompted a radical switch in red-ball cricket too. Shastri stated that his coaching career would’ve been incomplete had he not allowed Rohit to open in Tests.

Rohit Sharma: 2nd phase of Test career (as opener)—His best

The switch to opening was a masterstroke. With Murali Vijay out of the picture and India searching for consistency at the top, Rohit stepped up. His return was emphatic, dominating South Africa at home with twin hundreds in his first Test as opener. Just two Tests later, he registered his career-best 212.

While the exploits at home were superb, one couldn’t really deny that Rohit’s best run as Test player came when he silenced critics with an absolute resolute show in England. 368 runs, 52.57 average and 866 balls faced—the best tally by an Indian in that series. The way he and KL Rahul weathered storms after storms, innings after innings was something fresh as an Indian viewer. His 127 at The Oval or 83 at Lord’s was instrumental in India almost winning the Test series. 

Most runs for India in ICC WTC history ft. Rohit

Rohit Sharma: 3rd & unwanted phase of Test career

As the numbers began to decline, Rohit’s final months in Test cricket were harsh. He endured a horror show in the BGT 2024/25, scoring just 31 runs in five innings. His struggle wasn’t just in this series; signs had been there throughout the 2024 home season. Spin at home and pace abroad—both troubled him.

Rohit returned to the middle order for the Australia series, but the experiment flopped. He registered scores of 3, 6, 10, 3, and 9. It wasn’t just a lean patch—it was a sign that the transition had failed. His batting average dipped alarmingly.

Rohit Sharma’s Test Rankings (2023–2024)

Rohit Sharma & his Test rankings

In his final 15 innings, Rohit scored just 164 runs. The slump had started against Bangladesh and New Zealand and worsened in Australia. The defeats in Adelaide and Melbourne marked a dismal end. With whispers of the management wanting a new captain for the England series, Rohit Sharma, who just months ago led India to a Champions Trophy triumph, chose to walk away on his own terms.

Rohit Sharma Test career highlights

From middle-order misfit to opener supreme: Rohit Sharma’s Test legacy unlike any other Inside Sport India.

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