‘Shocking Exit’, Team India Spinner Slams Out At The Right Time For Retirement

India’s cricketer Ravi Bishnoi and former captain K. Srikkanth have criticized how the BCCI handled Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s retirements from Test cricket, suggesting that they left too abruptly and that following a proper ceremonial farewell was lacking and seemed poorly handled.

What did Ravi Bishnoi say?

On the Game Changers podcast, Bishnoi expressed expressed disappointment to see both players suddenly retire. ‘It is actually shocking, because you always want to get to see them retire from the field. For such big legends, we wanted to see them for their last years retire on the field, from the field. That looks much better,’ being say to it. He conceded that they could still have a proper farewell in ODIs, but this did not help the fact that their retirements were expected by everyone, which left many fans and team mates like Bishnoi, feeling shortchanged.

K Srikkanth’s remarks on Retirement

Srikkanth made similar remarks and stated that it was a major communications issue with BCCI and the players. He said, ‘If you play 100 Tests for your country, you must be a terrific cricketer and you should be given a proper farewell.’ He argued that there was insufficient dialogue to make sense of why Kohli and Pujara looked so poorly handled. He even suggested that Kohli could continue for another two years, and proper exit protocols should be discussed in the future. 

Another chapter of BCCI’s Politics?

Karsan Ghavri, an ex India fast bowler, added to the controversy after he claimed Kohli and Rohit were not ready to give up Test cricket fully and they were pushed into retirement via the BCCI’s internal politics and the selection committee’s machinations. All of this happened almost immediately after Kohli went off into retirement, having announced his announcement in May 2025 a few days after Rohit announced that he too was retiring. Thus bringing a brilliant chapter of India’s Tests history to an end. Kohli retired in Tests with 9,230 runs and 30 centuries in 123 tests, very much a player who will be regarded as one of the all time greatest.  

What did the critics say?

BCCI, under Rajeev Shukla, stated both players are still publicly listed as active ODI players, and will retire at their own discretion. The BCCI also stated there is no plan to host a farewell series, although there are officials who indicated it is possible to recognize their achievements in due time. In the end, critics pointed out it importance how legends retire and it could be argued that Kohli and Rohit deserved better farewells from Test cricket.

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