The recent Test retirement announcements by Indian cricket stars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli surprised many. These decisions, made prior to the England tour, have been the subject of much debate. Karsan Ghavri, a former Indian fast bowler, has now made a startling claim that the retirements were not entirely of the players’ own volition, but were influenced by internal conflicts within the BCCI and the selection committee.
Ghavri has suggested that Kohli could have played Test cricket for at least two more years. He pointed out the lack of a proper send-off for Kohli. Discussing Kohli’s retirement on the Vicky Lalwani show, Ghavri said, ‘It’s a mystery. Kohli should have continued playing for India, maybe for a few more years. I believe something compelled him to retire. The BCCI did not even give him a farewell.’
Ghavri also claimed that both Rohit and Kohli were impacted by internal politics within the Indian team management. He stated, ‘It is the internal politics of the BCCI, which is difficult to comprehend. I think this is the reason they retired early. Even Rohit Sharma retired early. He was asked to leave. It wasn’t that they wanted to go. They wished to stay. But the selectors and the BCCI had different perspectives. It appears to be a matter of petty politics.’
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli had already retired from the T20I format following the 2024 T20 World Cup, and then from Test cricket earlier this year. They currently only participate in the ODI format. There are reports that the upcoming ODI series in Australia in October might be the final tour for both Rohit and Virat, although no official confirmation has been released yet.