According to Robin Uthappa, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s Test retirements weren’t a “natural exit” and they ought to have continued the current World Test Championship cycle from 2025 to 2027.
In May of this year, Ro-Ko announced their respective retirements from the game’s longest format following a poor Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia last year.
”I don’t know about forced surrender, but it did not feel a natural exit. Sach toh unhe hi bolna padhega (they have to tell the truth). I don’t think it was natural. I felt Rohit Sharma should’ve taken a break for six months and worked on his fitness when he was not scoring runs in Australia,” Robin Uthappa said on his YouTube channel.
”I had no doubt that he would score runs after that. It was just a matter of time. He played too much cricket.”
”I felt they (Rohit and Kohli) had this cycle left. It could be that we don’t know what actually transpired. That they only have to share if they want. Have to wait for their good time whenever they feel like sharing,” Uthappa added.
The senior duo’s recent performance in the ODI series against Australia and South Africa was also commended by Uthappa.
”I recently spoke to Rohit in person. He is in a relaxed place now, you can see the hunger back in Rohit and Virat’s eyes. It is endearing to see as an international cricketer yourself, you know kuch gazab hone waala hai,” he added.
The India stalwarts enjoyed an amazing ODI series with South Africa. Kohli scored two consecutive hundreds at Ranchi and Raipur, followed by an attacking, stroke-filled half-century at Visakhapatnam, while Rohit scored two outstanding half-centuries in the first and last ODIs.
With 302 runs at an average of 151 and a strike rate of over 117, including two hundreds and a fifty, Kohli finished as the series’ highest run scorer. With a strike rate of over 110 and two fifties, Rohit also amassed 148 runs in three innings at an average of 48.66.
Additionally, they finished as India’s top two run scorers in ODIs this year. Virat scored 651 runs at an average of 65.10 in 13 games and innings, including three hundreds and four fifties, with a highest score of 135 and a strike rate of over 96.
Rohit, on the other hand, amassed 650 runs in 14 innings with a strike rate of over 100, an average of 50.00, two hundreds, four fifties, and a highest score of unbeaten 121.
