Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has made a striking statement about Rohit Sharma’s place in the Test team. According to Pathan, the opener’s position would have been in jeopardy if he wasn’t leading the side. His remarks come after Rohit’s prolonged struggles in the longest format over the past year.
Poor Run in 2024 Test Matches
Speaking in a teaser clip released by Lallantop on Wednesday, Pathan lauded Rohit’s white-ball brilliance but pointed out his disappointing Test numbers. In eight matches last year against Bangladesh, New Zealand, and Australia, the 37-year-old managed just 164 runs, hitting only one half-century. During the Australia tour, he averaged 6.20 – the lowest ever by a visiting captain in the country with at least five innings played.
Pathan stated, “Rohit Sharma is an amazing player in white-ball cricket, but his average in Test cricket that year was 6, so we said that if he was not the captain, he would not have had a place in the team, and this is true.”
Sydney Test Absence and Clarification
Rohit missed the final Test in Sydney, leading to speculation he had been dropped. However, he clarified in an interview that he had chosen to “opt out” himself.
Why Pathan and Others Publicly Supported Rohit
Pathan also explained why they offered public backing despite knowing his spot was insecure.
“People say that we supported Rohit Sharma more than necessary. Of course, when someone comes to interview on your broadcasting channel, you will not misbehave with them, right? You have invited him, so you will behave politely. When Rohit came to interview, we were, of course, polite, and we had to show that, because he was our guest. So that was connected and said we were supporting him, but it was we who said…we had said that he should keep fighting, but that said, he should not have had a place in the playing XI. If he was not the captain of the team, he would have been dropped,” Pathan said.
His comments have reignited the conversation about Rohit’s Test future and whether leadership should influence team selection decisions.
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