Former India coach Ravi Shastri said yesterday he expected skipper Rohit Sharma to "pull the plug" on his red-ball career after being left out of the fifth Test against Australia in Sydney. The 37-year-old opener has had a poor ser
AFP | New Delhi
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Former India coach Ravi Shastri said yesterday he expected skipper Rohit Sharma to “pull the plug” on his red-ball career after being left out of the fifth Test against Australia in Sydney.
The 37-year-old opener has had a poor series and the writing was on the wall when he failed to show up for India’s press conference.
Coach Gautam Gambhir instead fronted the media and declined to throw his support behind him.
Stand-in captain Jasprit Bumrah insisted at the coin toss yesterday that Rohit had “opted to rest” for the good of the team rather than being forced out.
But Shastri suspects it is the end of Rohit’s 67-Test career, predicting a retirement announcement after the game.
“It still is a brave call for a captain to own up and say, ‘I’m prepared to take the bench in this game,’” Shastri said while commentating on Fox Sports.
“If there was a home season coming up he might’ve thought of carrying on, but I think he might just pull the plug at the end of this Test.
“It’s not that India don’t have youngsters. There are very, very good players in the wings and it’s time to build.
