Former India player Anjum Chopra believes Rohit Sharma should decide his international future, saying legendary players have earned the right to exit on their own terms. Her comments came ahead of India’s upcoming ODI series against the West Indies.

“Ultimately, that decision belongs to the player. Every cricketer knows their own situation, whether they still have the desire, the freshness and the enthusiasm to continue,” Chopra said in an interview with NDTV. “Personally, I have always felt that players like MS Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma should just keep playing because they are such talented cricketers who make the game look beautiful with their presence and stroke play.”

“Of course, nobody can play forever and every player eventually has to make a decision,” Chopra again added. “But it should always be driven by the player. Once they are convinced that the time is right, everything else will fall into place.”

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However, Chopra also urged selectors and fans to give Indian wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson more game time and backing, even if new talent emerges.

“I think we should let Sanju Samson be,” she said. “Playing for India always comes with pressure and competition, and every player understands that they need to keep performing. But no one likes to feel a constant question mark hanging over their place in the team. Sanju should be allowed to play freely.”

“Suryavanshi is a great talent. He has already made it to the Indian setup and will remain in contention. But we should remember that players such as Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Rinku Singh have also worked hard and earned their opportunities,” she concluded.