"How many captains have done that.." Yuvraj Singh defends Rohit Sharma's decision to opt out of Sydney test

Rohit Sharma scored just 31 runs in the BGT 2024-25.

Rohit Sharma had a challenging year in 2024 in whites. The Indian opener started the year well with two centuries against England in the home test series in January and February.

However, his form declined significantly post September. The Indian skipper struggled against New Zealand’s bowling attack and faced an unprecedented home test series whitewash. His performance in the Australian tour was no better as he managed just 31 runs across five innings.

Rohit took a massive call before the final test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 in Sydney, choosing to opt out of the playing XI and give Shubman Gill an opportunity. This move sparked a major debate about Rohit’s test career, with many speculating it to be the end of his journey in whites.

Rohit, however, clarified that he has not retired and only chose to sit out of the game. Recently, Yuvraj Singh shared his views on the same.

Yuvraj Singh defends Rohit Sharma

Speaking on Rohit’s decision to opt out the Sydney test of the BGT 2024-25, Yuvraj praised the Indian skipper for his selfless decision to give others an opportunity. He also questioned how many captains in the past have made such a gesture.

“The guy has stepped down from the last match and given somebody else a chance. How many captains have done that in the past? Please tell me,” Yuvraj said this during a press event quoted by The Indian Express.

The former Indian all-rounder also highlighted Rohit’s success with the Mumbai Indians and noted that Gautam Gambhir had only recently taken on the role of India’s head coach.

He added, “I always look at the team graph over five years or three years. Gautam has just come into the system, he needs more time. Rohit Sharma has won the T20 World Cup as captain, he was captain when India played the ODI World Cup final. He led MI (Mumbai Indians) to five IPL titles.“

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