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"He Was Disappointed": Rohit Sharma Reveals Father's Reaction To His Test Exit

Soumyajit Dutta

Rohit Sharma [Source: @CricCrazyJohns/X]Rohit Sharma [Source: @CricCrazyJohns/X]

Rohit Sharma's unexpected decision to retire from Test cricket, announced just before India's squad selection for the England tour, sent shockwaves through Indian cricket. The abruptness left fans and his own family, particularly his father, surprised and initially disappointed.

Rohit revealed the depth of his father's love for Test cricket during the launch of Cheteshwar Pujara's wife's book in Mumbai. His father's traditional preferences made the retirement news hard to accept initially.

Rohit Sharma's Father Admires Test Cricket More Than ODI Or T20

Rohit Sharma shared how his father has been a fan of Test cricket over other white ball formats. 

"My father worked in a transport company. Like I said, what my mom did, my father was very much involved in sacrificing things so that we could have our life. But my father always, since day one, has always been a fan of Test cricket. He doesn't like this new-age cricket. I still remember that day I scored 264 in the ODI. He was like, okay, well played. Well done. There was no excitement from him. It's important to go out there and all that," Rohit shared.

He elaborated on his father's passion for the traditional game. "But even if I used to get good 30s or 40s or 50s or 60s, in Test cricket used to talk to me about it in detail. So that's the kind of love he had for the game. And he's obviously seen you go up the ranks," Sharma said.

Rohit explained, as quoted by NDTV, that his father had witnessed his entire cricketing journey.

"You play in school cricket. Then you play U19, the Ranji Trophy, the Duleep Trophy, the Irani Trophy, and India A. And I've done all of that. So he has seen my journey through that. And through this, I've made it to the Indian team," Rohit added.

While the initial reaction was disappointment, Rohit stated his father ultimately found acceptance.

"My father has seen me playing a lot of cricket with the red ball, obviously. So he appreciates red ball cricket a lot. And then, obviously, he was a little disappointed when I announced my retirement. But was happy as well at the same time," Sharma concluded.

Notably, Rohit concluded his Test career with 12 centuries and 18 fifties, also captaining India to the 2023 World Test Championship final. Now, the Men in Blue moves towards a new era as Shubman Gill starts as captain with the England tour starting from June 20.