'Great player for India but ... ': Sourav Ganguly makes honest admission on Rohit Sharma's Test retirement

NEW DELHI: Former Indian cricket team captain Sourav Ganguly offered praise for Rohit Sharma following his retirement announcement on Wednesday, acknowledging India's numerous trophy victories under his leadership."He is a great player for India, but someone has to leave the game. My best wishes to him. He had a good career, he will play One Day for India and IPL... BCCI's work is to support the player.When I was part of BCCI, we thought he would be a great captain for India and so he was. We won World Cup, Champion's trophy, Test Cricket under him," Ganguly told ANI.On Wednesday, Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from Test cricket, concluding a notable phase in his international career. The 38-year-old cricketer shared this news on Instagram, expressing appreciation to supporters whilst reflecting on his time in Test cricket.Rohit's Test career began against the West Indies in November 2013, spanning 67 matches. He accumulated 4,301 runs with an average of 40.57, including 12 centuries and 18 half-centuries.His highest score of 212 was achieved during a home series against South Africa in 2019, placing him as India's 16th-highest run-scorer in Tests. His journey began impressively with a score of 177 against the West Indies at Eden Gardens, Kolkata in 2013.Despite showing potential and delivering notable performances, Rohit initially faced challenges establishing himself in the Test format, particularly in away matches. Between 2013-18, he participated in 27 Tests, scoring 1,585 runs at an average of 39.63, with three centuries and 10 fifties in 47 innings.His highest score stood at 151. The right-handed batsman encountered difficulties away from home, notably in SENA countries (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia). Success in these nations is considered a benchmark for Indian batsmen.Rohit's home performance was exceptional, scoring 2,535 runs in 34 Tests at an average of 51.73, with 10 centuries and eight fifties across 55 innings. However, his overseas record showed 1,644 runs in 31 Tests at an average of 31.01, with two centuries and 10 fifties in 57 innings.In neutral venues, he played two Tests, scoring 122 runs at an average of 30.50, with a highest score of 43. His most notable overseas performance came during the 2021-22 Pataudi Trophy in England, where he led India's scoring with 368 runs in four Tests at an average of 52.57, including a century of 127, his sole hundred in SENA nations.