Irfan Pathan Says Rohit Sharma Would’ve Been Dropped
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has made a bold claim about Rohit Sharma’s place in the Test team. Pathan said Rohit would likely have been dropped if he wasn’t captain, citing his poor form in the longest format over the last year. The revelation has sparked debate in cricket circles, especially after Rohit’s low returns during the 2024 season.
In a teaser clip released by Lallantop on Wednesday, Pathan praised Rohit’s white-ball skills but didn’t shy away from highlighting his poor Test record. Across eight Tests last year against Bangladesh, New Zealand, and Australia, Rohit scored just 164 runs with a single fifty. On the Australia tour, where he played three games, Rohit averaged only 6.20 – the lowest ever by a visiting captain in Australia (minimum five innings).
Pathan stressed, “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 Controversy
Amid growing criticism over his Test performances, Rohit was absent from the series finale in Sydney. While speculation arose that he was dropped, Rohit clarified he had voluntarily “opted out.”
Pathan revealed that despite knowing Rohit’s position was under threat, they had to publicly support him during the broadcaster interview.
“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.
This candid admission has now added more heat to the ongoing discussions about Rohit’s Test career and leadership role.
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