Former India cricket selector Jatin Paranjape has revealed that Rohit Sharma was offended when his commitment to Test cricket was questioned during his career, sharing insights about the player’s deep connection with the red-ball format despite his recent retirement ahead of the England series.
Paranjape disclosed details of a conversation with Rohit during a period when the latter was not part of India’s Test setup, highlighting the player’s emotional response to doubts about his dedication to Test cricket.
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“I remember he was not playing Tests for India. And we had this conversation and he said, ‘I started playing cricket with a red ball, Jatin. How can you say that I am not interested in Test cricket?’ I got the message and I was hoping that that was what he would say,” Paranjape shared on the A Century of Stories podcast.
Paranjape confirmed Rohit’s strong reaction to these doubts about his Test cricket commitment, stating: “Yeah, yeah (if Rohit was offended). The perspective he gave me made me sit up and think. His point of view was that ‘I’ve grown up playing with the red ball, how can I be far away from it?’ That’s, again, his unique perspective.”
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The turning point in Rohit’s Test career came when former India head coach Ravi Shastri suggested him as an opener six years ago, a decision that transformed his red-ball career trajectory.
“That’s the big moment. I remember I was part of the selection committee at that time. That was Ravi Shastri’s idea. Superb thinker. Ravi is 3–4 steps ahead of everybody when it comes to reading the game,” Paranjape noted.
Rohit’s international cricket statistics show his significant impact across formats, with 19700 runs in 499 international games at an average of 42.18, leading to former West Indies cricketer Brian Lara referring to him as a legend.
However, Paranjape expressed disappointment over Rohit’s decision to withdraw from the last Test in Sydney, suggesting it affected India’s chances of equalising the series against Australia.
“He said he lives for Tests. I think Rohit could have done a lot more in Tests. I think he would be the first one to say that as well. I was a little bit disappointed that he chose to drop himself in Sydney because we could have levelled the series,” Paranjape said.
Rohit’s recent decision to retire from Test cricket before the England series came as a surprise to many, particularly as it was announced without a farewell match or any apparent decline in his physical fitness.