Veteran commentator Aakash Chopra has questioned whether Rohit Sharma would take the call of dropping himself from India’s playing XI for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 fifth Test as well. He also added that head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar will be in a tough spot if Rohit doesn’t take that call himself. Notably, India suffered an 184-run defeat in the fourth Test against Australia in Melbourne on Monday, December 30 as well. The final Test of the five-match series will begin in Sydney on Friday, January 3, 2025.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel ‘Aakash Chopra,’ he said, “No captain would have done that thus far that he drops himself. Retirement is his personal call but selection is the selectors’ job. However, as a captain, the selectors don’t want to take that call. You have made him the captain for the entire tour. So you don’t take that call mid-tour. So the call is now with Rohit Sharma. Will he drop himself in the team’s interest? I am not saying retirement. I am saying sitting out the Sydney Test as he is unable to contribute. It will be a fair call to take. But will he take that call and if he doesn’t, will the selectors take that call mid-tour? Gautam Gambhir and Ajit Agarkar, guys you are on the spot this time.”
ALSO READ: Hardik Pandya shares happiness after winning back the love of fans
In the same video, Aakash Chopra also stated that Rohit Sharma kept his interest before the team by opting to open in the Melbourne Test.
“For the first time as a captain, he took a call totally in his interest. It wasn’t a call in the team’s interest. It couldn’t have been in the team’s interest as (KL) Rahul was doing well as an opener. So you should have allowed him to continue. Shubman Gill was playing decently at No. 3. He is your second-highest run-scorer in Tests this year. We are talking about a pattern for Virat Kohli but Rohit too has a pattern. Rohit’s pattern is that he is getting late on the ball and his feet are not moving properly. It’s different if this happens to you at 25. However, when you go to the other side of 35 and this happens to you, then the knives are out,” Aakash Chopra concluded.
