`Rohit Sharma would have played Sydney Test if I was coach`: Ravi Shastri

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri revealed that he would have backed Rohit Sharma’s inclusion for the decisive Test in Sydney during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier this year, even amid the opener’s poor run of form. At the time, India trailed the four-match series 2-1.

“That was a 30-40 run game. And that`s exactly what I told him. The pitch was so spicy in Sydney. Whatever kind of form he was in, he`s a match-winner,” said Shastri.

Shastri believes that even a quickfire contribution from Rohit at the top of the order could have dramatically altered the outcome of the final Test. “If he had gone, sensed the situation, sensed the condition and smashed it for even 35-40 at the top, you never know. That series would have been level. But that`s each one to his own.”

Rohit was absent from the first Test against Australia due to personal commitments. Upon returning, he struggled with the bat, managing just 31 runs across three innings. With India needing a win to square the series, he opted out of the final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground in January due to ongoing struggles with form.

Shastri recalled a recent conversation he had with Rohit during an IPL 2025 fixture, prior to the latter’s official Test retirement. According to Shastri, he made it clear that, had he still been at the helm, Rohit would not have sat out the Sydney match.

“I saw Rohit a lot at the toss. At the toss, you don`t get enough time to speak. Though I did put my hand on his shoulder in one of the games. I think it was in Mumbai, and I told him, if I was the coach, you would have never not played that last Test match. You would have played that last Test match because the series wasn`t over,” Shastri told ICC Review. “And I`m not someone who threw in the towel with the scoreline 2-1. If your mindset is you feel you are… that`s not the stage, you leave a team.”

In his final eight Test appearances, including home series against Bangladesh and New Zealand, Rohit crossed fifty only once and averaged a mere 10.93. Earlier this month, he confirmed his retirement from red-ball cricket via social media.

“Hello everyone, I would just like to share that I am retiring from Test cricket. It`s been an absolute honour to represent my country in whites. Thank you for all the love and support over the years. I will continue to represent India in the ODI format,” he posted.

Rohit bowed out of Test cricket having represented India in 67 matches, amassing 4,301 runs at an average of 40.57. His red-ball career featured 12 centuries and 18 fifties, including a memorable 212 against South Africa in 2019.

(With ANI inputs)

This article first appeared on Mid Day