According to Manoj Tiwary, both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma had no intention of retiring from Test cricket, but the negative atmosphere within the team drove them to say goodbye to the format. During the 2025 Indian Premier League season, the two cricketing titans of India announced their retirement from the game’s longest format.
Before the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, there was a huge hole in the Indian Test team when Rohit retired on May 7 and Kohli did the same on May 12. Rohit was replaced as captain of the Test team during the England trip by Shubman Gill, who slipped to the fourth spot in the batting order, which had been occupied by Kohli since Sachin Tendulkar’s retirement.
Even though India was able to tie the series 2-2 in England and then thrash the West Indies, they have received harsh criticism from both fans and analysts for their loss to South Africa in the first Test match at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The team’s transition phase was cited by head coach Gautam Gambhir as the cause of the defeat. Tiwary asserted that a squad like India, which has a large number of skilled players fighting for slots on the team, cannot be hindered by transition.
He added that even though Rohit and Kohli were willing to play red-ball cricket, they were dropped from the team because of an unjustified transition.
“I disagree with the entire ‘transition phase’ discourse. India doesn’t require a change. Transition is required in Zimbabwe or New Zealand. There are many gifted players in our domestic cricket league who are only waiting for opportunities. Our top players, like Virat and Rohit, who wished to continue playing Test cricket and preserve its sacredness, gradually withdrew as a result of this needless change, Tiwary told India Today.
“After a player loses, you cannot blame their technique.” Your role as a coach is to instruct, not to assign blame. Why weren’t the hitters practiced before the game if they lacked a strong defence? Gambhir should teach more because he was a skilled spinner when he played. The outcomes don’t suit India,” he continued.
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