‘Wouldn’t Be in Playing XI If Not Captain’: Irfan Pathan Reveals Broadcasters’ Soft Treatment of Rohit Sharma During Australia Tour
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has shared inside details of Rohit Sharma’s interview in Sydney during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, when the then Test captain was struggling for runs. Rohit had opted out of the fifth and final Test against Australia due to poor form, a decision that fueled discussions about his place in the team.
Rohit’s Struggles in Australia
During the series, Rohit Sharma had a tough time with the bat. He missed the series opener but featured in the next three Tests, scoring only 164 runs with just one half-century. His average of 6.20 in the series was the lowest ever by a visiting captain in Australia, provided they played at least five innings. These numbers led to talks about him being dropped from the team for the series finale.
Broadcasters Compelled to Show Support
Irfan Pathan, who interviewed Rohit in Sydney for a broadcasting channel, revealed that the media was compelled to show respect and support to the captain despite his struggles.
“Rohit Sharma is an amazing player in white-ball cricket, but his average in Test cricket that series was 6. If he was not the captain, he would not have been in the team, and this is true,” Pathan said in a video shared by Lallantop.
He added that broadcasters couldn’t behave rudely with Rohit as he was their guest for the interview. “When Rohit came for the interview, we were polite because he was our guest. People say we supported him too much, but we also said he shouldn’t have been in the playing XI if he wasn’t captain.”
End of Rohit’s Test Career
The Australia tour proved to be Rohit Sharma’s last in Test cricket. He recently announced his retirement from the format ahead of the series against England.
Virat Kohli, his long-time teammate and former India captain, also retired from Tests just days after Rohit’s decision.
Rohit’s Test Career in Numbers
Rohit made his Test debut against the West Indies in November 2013. Over 67 Tests, he scored 4,301 runs at an average of 40.57, including 12 centuries and 18 fifties. His highest score of 212 came in the home series against South Africa in 2019.
