Virat Kohli–Rohit Sharma Test Retirements Revisited: Former India Batter Says Exits ‘Didn’t Feel Natural’

Former India batter Robin Uthappa has opened up about the Test retirement of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli and stated that it didn’t seem like a “natural exit”. Rohit and Kohli bid adieu to the format in May 2025 just before the England series.

“Hello everyone I would just like to share that I am retiring from Test cricket. It’s been an absolute honour to represent my country in whites. Thank you for all the love and support over the years. I will continue to represent India in the ODI format,” Rohit said in a post on social media.

“It’s been 14 years since I first wore the baggy blue in Test cricket. Honestly, I never imagined the journey this format would take me on. It’s tested me, shaped me, and taught me lessons I’ll carry for life,” Kohli said in a social media statement.

“I don’t know if it was a forced surrender, but it definitely didn’t seem like a natural exit. What the truth is, they themselves will have to share in their own time. But I don’t think it was natural,” Uthappa said speaking on his YouTube channel. 

Talking about the former opener, Uthappa added that Rohit should have taken a 6-month break after a lean patch. 

“When Rohit was not scoring runs in Australia, I felt he should have taken a six-month break and worked on his fitness. I had no doubt that he would score runs,” he added.

The right-handed batter lauded the Sharma and Ex-India skipper Virat Kohli for the kind of hunger the two have shown in the ODIs. “In both Virat and Rohit, you can see that hunger back in their eyes. It’s endearing to see that drive from veterans who have achieved so much in international cricket,” Uthappa said.

While Rohit struck a hundred and fifty in Australia an followed it up with a couple of half-centuries against South Africa at home, Kohli has been in sublime form in List A format. The right-handed batter had a couple of forgettable outings in Australia before he made a roaring comeback to finish the tour with a brilliant half-century. 

Kohli then took on South Africa at home smashing two consecutive tons and concluded the three-match tie with a fifty. The flamboyant batter didn’t stop there as he continued his dominance in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Kohli returned to play India’s premier One-Day domestic tournament after 15 years and hammered a hundred against Andhra in the first match and a half-century against Gujarat.

He is likely to return for another fixture against Railways on January 6. 

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