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“Retired From Wrong Format…”: Aakash Chopra Criticises Ro-Ko's Test Retirement Decision

Aakash Saini

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli [Source: @FaizFazal/x]Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli [Source: @FaizFazal/x]

Indian batting behemoths Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma both confirmed their retirements from Test cricket within the space of a week a couple of months ago. The two legendary cricketers underwent an extended lean patch with the bat in the format, with both players failing to make a notable impact in India’s home Test series against New Zealand and the subsequent away Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 Test series against Australia.

Mere weeks prior to India’s five-match tour of England, both Kohli and Rohit Sharma called it quits in Tests, prompting the two players to only feature in ODI cricket for Team India.

Aakash Chopra Says Rohit, Kohli Should Have Retired From ODIs

Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra believes that Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retired from the “wrong format”. The cricketer-turned-commentator is of the opinion that both Kohli and Rohit should have continued playing Tests for Team India and should have retired from ODIs instead.

While speaking on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra said:

“The truth is that they have said goodbye to the wrong format. They had left T20Is after winning the T20 World Cup, but the story might have been different had they continued to play Tests and said goodbye to ODIs. India played only six ODIs in 12 months before the Champions Trophy.”

Aakash Chopra further explained that playing only ODIs together will not give Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli enough “practice” on the field. He added:

“There is a possibility that you might play only six Tests in a year, but even if it's only six Tests, it's 30 days of cricket. If only six ODIs are played, it's just six days of cricket over a period of time. It will be more than 100 days from your last IPL match to the next ODI you will play. You are not playing at all. You are not practising at all.”

It is worth noting that Indian captain Rohit Sharma has expressed his desire of playing ODIs up until the 2027 ICC World Cup in South Africa. However, recent reports indicated an early retirement for both Sharma and Virat Kohli before a BCCI source claimed otherwise.