Following the announcement of Test retirement by Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, Shubman Gill was appointed as the captain of the Test team. Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan made a significant revelation regarding Rohit Sharma, which has surprised many. Pathan stated in an interview that if Rohit Sharma had not been the team’s captain, he would have been excluded from the playing XI. Rohit Sharma had a poor performance during the Australia tour.
Pathan shared that during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, Rohit Sharma had a dismal performance. Pathan mentioned that if the opening batsman had not been the captain, he would have been dropped from the playing XI. Pathan acknowledged Sharma’s excellence in white-ball cricket, but highlighted his average of only 6 in Test cricket during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, implying that non-inclusion would have been the outcome if he wasn’t captain.
Further, the former cricketer mentioned facing questions about supporting Rohit despite his poor performance. He explained that during commentary, one must treat interviewees with respect. He stated that when someone is invited for an interview on a broadcasting channel, one should not be discourteous. When Rohit Sharma came for the interview, they acted similarly because he was their guest.
During the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 in Australia, the Indian team faced a significant setback. In the five-match series, Rohit Sharma’s performance was poor, scoring only 31 runs in 5 innings with an average of 6.20. He subsequently chose not to play in the Sydney Test match. Irfan Pathan currently works as a commentator after retiring from cricket.
Pathan did not get the opportunity to do commentary in IPL 2025. Reports suggest that he was not included in the commentary panel due to his criticism of certain players, including Rohit Sharma.