The cricketing world was taken aback when Indian cricket legends Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli announced their retirement from Test cricket. The decision, made just before the England tour, sparked considerable speculation. Former Indian fast bowler, Karsan Ghavri, has made a sensational claim, suggesting that the retirement of these two players was not voluntary but rather a consequence of internal politics within the BCCI and the selection committee.
Karsan Ghavri believes that Kohli could have continued playing in the Test team for at least another two years. He also emphasized the lack of a proper farewell for one of India’s finest cricketers. When questioned about Kohli’s sudden retirement on the Vicky Lalwani show, Ghavri stated, ‘It’s a mystery. Kohli should have definitely continued playing for India, maybe for a few more years. But I think something forced him to retire. When he retired, the BCCI didn’t even give him a farewell.’
During the discussion, Ghavri also asserted that Rohit and Kohli fell victim to internal politics within the Indian team management. Ghavri said, ‘This is the internal politics of the BCCI, which is difficult to understand. And I think maybe these are the reasons why they retired prematurely. Even Rohit Sharma retired prematurely. He was told to leave. It’s not like they wanted to go. They wanted to stay. But the selectors and the BCCI had different views. It’s a case of some kind of petty politics.’
It’s worth noting that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retired from the T20I format after the 2024 T20 World Cup, and from Tests earlier this year. They now only participate in the ODI format. According to some reports, the upcoming ODI series in Australia, scheduled for October, could be the last tour for Rohit and Virat. However, there has been no official statement on this matter.