Is Rohit Sharma retiring? ‘Gloves Act’ at The Gabba SPARKS retirement speculations

New Delhi: Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul began India’s pursuit on Day 4 of the third Test against Australia in Brisbane, aiming to close in on the hosts’ 445-run total. While Rahul found his rhythm after surviving a first-ball reprieve, Rohit fell for just 10 runs. Batting at No. 6, Rohit’s ongoing struggle with form continued, and his frustration was evident when he threw his gloves near the Indian dugout following his early dismissal, leaving fans on social media puzzled.

Rohit’s act of throwing his gloves sparked wild speculations on social media, with some fans questioning whether he is on the verge of retiring from this format of the game.

Rohit fell victim to Pat Cummins’ disciplined bowling, departing without a significant score once again. Veteran Indian cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara believes Rohit’s poor form can be attributed to the change in his batting position.

Rohit Sharma left his gloves in front of the dugout. Signs of retirement? pic.twitter.com/DDZY7rkHhi

— Aragorn (@shiva_41kumar) December 17, 2024

“It wasn’t a length where you could drive. We’ve seen that even a fuller-length ball is hard to drive. He kind of tried to punch that ball. He should have defended it and allowed the ball to come to him rather than going after it. I think the tough part is that he hasn’t been scoring runs, and that’s where the pressure builds,” said Pujara on Star Sports.

“He has been opening the innings, and now he’s batting at number 6. That is for the team, but I still feel that when you’re so used to opening and then have to wait, it creates doubt in your mind. It doesn’t help when you switch from opening the innings to batting at number 6, as you don’t get that momentum either,” he added.

Resuming from their fragile overnight position of 51 for four, India desperately needed someone to step up and show resilience, and Rahul rose to the occasion.

There was a moment of immense fortune for Rahul when Smith dropped a regulation catch at second slip off the first ball of the day from Pat Cummins. Rahul was on 33 at that time, and a quick glance upwards and a silent prayer demonstrated how much he valued that reprieve, which he made the most of. After shaking off a bit of morning rust, Rahul looked a class apart from the rest of his teammates.

The Bengaluru man’s composure was evident in his defensive technique — soft hands, playing close to the body. Rohit, too, appeared comfortable, exercising patience and waiting for the right ball to play his shots.

However, the 37-year-old was eventually lured into playing that troublesome shot, which has haunted him throughout this series. Cummins pitched one close to off-stump, and Rohit, with no foot movement, poked at it with hard hands. Alex Carey made no mistake behind the stumps.