‘Rohit Sharma Deserved More Respect and Faith’: Navjot Singh Sidhu Criticises India Team Management

Former India opener Navjot Singh Sidhu has taken a swipe at the team management for dropping skipper Rohit Sharma from the fifth Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Following a string of low scores after the Boxing Day Test, Rohit opted out of the 16-member squad for the final Test, with Jasprit Bumrah assuming leadership for the second time in the series. Sidhu, who played 51 Tests and 136 ODIs for India, criticized the decision, arguing that the 37-year-old captain deserved more “respect” from the management.

“A captain should never be dropped midstream nor given the option to opt out … sends wrong signals,” Sidhu wrote on X. “Captains like Mark Taylor and Azharuddin were retained despite bad form. @ImRo45 deserved more respect and faith from the management. Bizarre, as this is unprecedented in Indian cricket history. A blunder – for a fallen lighthouse is more dangerous than a reef!”

Rohit’s Performance and Future

Rohit managed just 31 runs in three Tests after missing the first match in Perth due to the birth of his second child. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir reportedly informed Rohit that the team is looking beyond him for future Test assignments.

Ponting Questions ‘Opting Out’ Term

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting also weighed in, expressing surprise at the term “opting out” being used for Rohit’s exclusion.

“I was very surprised to hear ‘opting out’ in the context of such an important game,” Ponting said on the ICC Review. “Rohit has been a stalwart of Indian cricket for a long time. Given the importance of this game—where India needed a win to retain the trophy—his decision to step away was unexpected.

“India won’t play another Test until June or later, which is quite some time for someone nearing the end of their career. Rohit has been a terrific player for India, and while you wish him well, the road back could be long and challenging,” Ponting concluded.