Rohit Sharma Opens Up on Father Gurunath’s Disappointment Over His Sudden Test Retirement
Rohit Sharma, one of the best opening batters India has ever had, surprised many by stepping away from Test cricket just before the team was picked for the England tour. Not long ago, after the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Rohit had openly said he wanted to keep playing Test matches even though he wasn’t in great form. He had shown his commitment to red-ball cricket by even playing in the Ranji Trophy. But now, with this unexpected decision to retire, fans and the entire Indian cricket community have been left stunned.
Rohit Sharma Opens Up About His Father’s Sacrifices
Rohit’s decision not only disappointed his fans but also his father. While speaking at the launch event of Cheteshwar Pujara’s wife Puja Pujara’s book The Diary of a Cricketer’s Wife in Mumbai, Rohit shared how much his father loves Test cricket. That’s why his choice to step away from the format wasn’t completely accepted at home. An emotional Rohit Sharma opened up about his father, who once worked at a transport company and made sure the family never went without anything. Rohit spoke with deep respect, saying his father’s hard work gave them everything they needed, no matter how tough things were.
“My father gave up a lot so we could live a good life,” Rohit shared at the book launch event for The Diary of a Cricketer’s Wife, written by Puja Pujara, wife of India cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara.
Rohit also spoke about his father’s love for the traditional format of the game. “He’s always been a big fan of Test cricket, right from the beginning,” he said. “He’s not too fond of this modern-day cricket.”
Recalling a special moment in his career, Rohit added, “I still remember when I scored 264 in an ODI. He just said, ‘Okay, well played, well done.’ That’s it. There was no big reaction even though it was a world record!”
#WATCH | Mumbai: At the launch of Indian Cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara's wife Puja Pujara's book 'The Diary of a Cricketer's Wife', Indian Cricketer Rohit Sharma, says "...Since day one, my father has been a test cricket fan. He doesn't like this new age cricket. I still remember… pic.twitter.com/0hGpfieTaf
— ANI (@ANI) June 5, 2025
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A Father’s Deep Connection to Test Cricket
On the other hand, his father’s love for Test cricket was clear to see. “Even when I scored just 30s, 40s, 50s or 60s in Test matches, he would always talk to me about it in detail,” Rohit said. “That’s how much he cared about the game.”
At first, Rohit’s father was disappointed by his decision to retire from Test cricket. But over time, he came to accept it and was happy for him.
“You start playing school cricket, then Under-19s, the Ranji Trophy, Duleep Trophy, Irani Trophy, and India A. I’ve gone through all of that,” Rohit said. “He has seen my whole journey, and through it, I made it to the Indian team.”
“My father has watched me play a lot of red-ball cricket and really values it. Of course, he was a bit sad when I announced my retirement, but he was happy too. That’s just my dad. He has played a huge part in where I am today. Without his support, none of this would have been possible,” Rohit added.
Rohit announced his retirement from Test cricket on May 7, sharing the news through an Instagram story just before the five-match Test series against England. Over 11 years, he played 67 Tests and scored 4,301 runs with an average of 40.57, including 12 centuries and 18 fifties.
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