India captain Rohit Sharma has again caught social media in a spin after sharing a mysterious message on his Instagram story, which has people speculating about retirement. The seasoned opener posted a picture from Sydney Airport and wrote, “One last time, signing off from Sydney.”
The post soon sparked conjecture among cricket experts and fans regarding whether Rohit Sharma was indirectly signaling his international cricket retirement, especially from white-ball formats.
Rohit Sharma’s Sydney Post Fuels Retirement Talk
The Instagram post soon turned viral, with fans inundating social media with tearful responses and goodbye messages. Many thought Rohit’s caption was an indication that the 38-year-old may be on his way out of the game, particularly after his recent statements after India’s ODI series against Australia.
Speculation heightened as Rohit’s words had a hint of finality about them, with “signing off” usually being linked to goodbyes or endings.
Rohit Sharma’s Brilliant Knock Against Australia
Rohit’s heartfelt post was barely hours after he scored a match-winning 121 (not out)* in the third and final ODI against Australia at Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). His centurion knock led India to a comfortable 9-wicket win and saved the team from a series whitewash.
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Even though India lost the first two ODIs, Rohit Sharma showed us his class and character in Sydney. Rohit’s innings was the perfect blend of patience and aggressive batting, and it was a reminder to everyone of why he is still one of world cricket’s most consistent and technically proficient batters.
Rohit Sharma Looks Back at His Australian Sojourn
Following the third ODI, Rohit Sharma delivered a statement that lent more credibility to the retirement speculations. Looking back at his experience in Australia, he stated:
“Always love coming here and playing here. Fond memories of 2008. I’m not sure if we’ll be coming back to Australia, but we enjoy our cricket no matter what accolades we achieve,” Rohit said after the match.
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“You expect tough pitches and quality bowlers in Australia. Playing here is never easy. We couldn’t win the series, but there are plenty of positives. It’s a young side, and there will be a lot of learnings. When I came into the squad, seniors helped us a lot; now it’s our job to do the same. We need to guide them, create game plans, and go back to basics, which I still do every time I play here. I’ve had great memories here from the SCG to Perth. I love playing here and hope to continue doing what I do,” he added.
His emotional words served to further fuel the speculation that the Sydney match could possibly have been his last ODI appearance in Australia.
Rohit Sharma Named Player of the Series
Rohit Sharma was aptly awarded Player of the Series (POTS) after being the highest run-getter in the three-match series. He scored 202 runs at a great average, scoring one half-century (73 runs) and one century (121*).
Although he began the series gradually with a low tally of 8 runs, he soon got into form, delivering two consecutive match-winning performances that brought back memories of his supremacy at the top of the order.
ALSO READ: Records Broken By Rohit Sharma And Virat Kohli Partnership In IND vs AUS 3rd ODI
