“That’s not the stage, you leave a team”

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri believes that Rohit Sharma should have played the fifth and final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia earlier this year. With the series reading 2-1 ahead of the final Test, Shastri said he would’ve backed the swashbuckling opener to play instead of warming the bench despite poor form.

Shastri’s remarks came after Rohit Sharma retired from Tests on May 7.

On Friday (May 16), Ravi Shastri told the ICC:

“I saw Rohit a lot at the toss. At the toss, you don’t get enough time to speak. Though I did put my hand on his shoulder in one of the games. I think it was in Mumbai and told him, if I was coach you would have never not played that last Test match. You would have played that last Test match because the series wasn’t over. “

And I’m not someone who threw in the towel with the scoreline 2-1. If your mindset is you feel you are… that’s not the stage, you leave a team,” he added.

Notably, Rohit Sharma was left out of the last Test in Sydney after managing just 31 runs in five innings at an average of 6.20. The 37-year-old managed just 164 runs in his last 15 Test innings, averaging 10.9. He, however, finished with 4,301 runs in 67 Tests at an average of 40.57, comprising 12 centuries and 18 fifties.

“Whatever kind of form he was in, he’s a match-winner” – Ravi Shastri lauds Rohit Sharma

Ravi Shastri further reiterated why Rohit Sharma should’ve been picked for the fifth Test against Australia in Sydney. Calling the right-hander a match-winner, the cricketer-turned-commentator said Rohit scoring 30 or 40 runs would’ve made a difference in the match.

Shastri said during the aforementioned coversation:

“That was a 30-40 run game. And that’s exactly what I told him. The pitch was so spicy in Sydney. Whatever kind of form he was in, he’s a match-winner. If he had gone, sensed the situation, sensed the condition and smashed it for even 35-40 at the top, you never know. That series would have been level. But that’s each one to his own.”

“Other people have different styles. This would have been my style and I let him know it. It’s sitting in my heart for a long time. I had to get it out. And I told him that,” he added.

Notably, Pat Cummins-led Australia beat India by six wickets in the fifth Test to seal 2024-25 BGT 3-1. The tourists missed Jasprit Bumrah’s services with the ball in the second innings due to a back injury.