Rohit’s retirement rumours catch fire after Langer’s ‘body language’ remark

Indian captain Rohit Sharma has made headlines lately for all bad reasons. As if his poor run with the bat in hand wasn’t enough, his tactical changes on the field baffled a whole fan base worldwide. After India lost the Boxing Day Test by 184 runs, conceding a one-nil lead after the series opener in Perth, Rohit finds himself in a tight spot, with talks over his potential Test retirement looming.

Although social media is flooded with expert advice on what the batting veterans – Rohit and Virat Kohli, should do given their poor run of form in this series, the former Australian coach Justin Langer’s latest remarks on Rohit’s ‘tired body language’ has fuelled up that conversation again.

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During the post-match presser, Rohit stressed trying to do more rights than wrongs in the Sydney Test in the quest to keep India’s WTC Final 2025 hopes alive; with that, he indicated on retaining his place in the XI for the final Test despite scoring just 31 runs across five innings on this tour thus far.

Even during Australia’s second innings, when Jasprit Bumrah reduced them to 91 for six, picking three wickets in 11 balls after lunch, Rohit’s defensive tactics helped the hosts gain momentum, eventually ending the day with their heads held high. A 50-plus run stand for the tenth wicket exposed Rohit’s strategies, which looked tired and out of place, just like his body language.

“Rohit Sharma looks very tired to me. I saw him quite emotional on the field yesterday. That’s unusual for us to see Rohit like that. He’s usually so calm, so chilled out. But he was showing his emotions; he looks tired,” Langer said after Australia clinched their first Test against India at the MCG since 2011. 

“It’s understandable because, as a cricketer, when you’re not making runs, that’s all that stays on your mind. And as captain, if you’re not making runs and your team is not winning, the stress starts to come into the game. 

“Whether he can get up for Sydney, that’s up to him. It’s a big challenge. India need him to get up to speed in Sydney,” Langer continued, as quoted by Hindustan Times.

Langer on Virat

Keeping aside his famous hundred at the Optus Stadium in the BGT opener, Kohli has been short of runs since, with his similar dismissals manner across innings (outside the off stump) adding salt to injury.

Edged and caught behind the wicket, all of Virat Kohli’s dismissals this series have had a common theme #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/5mz5SGcAbh

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 30, 2024

Langer, however, believes Kohli’s fitness and hunger for runs will return to form sooner.

“With Virat, I agree [with Shastri]. He looked excellent in that first innings. Maybe the run out [of Jaiswal] did ruffle him, but we were surprised to see him get out the way he did. He is still a great player, is in outstanding physical condition, and all Indians would be hoping he comes good,” Langer noted.

Meanwhile, Australia lead the five-match series 2-1, with the final match scheduled in Sydney for January 3 start. 

(With inputs from agencies)