Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma Test Retirement: Anjum Chopra Shares Unfiltered Thoughts On Ro-Ko's Big Decision

The back-to-back retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma from Test cricket have left Indian cricket fans stunned. While emotions continue to pour in from all quarters, former India women's team captain Anjum Chopra offered a candid take on the timing and context of these monumental exits from the red-ball format.

Speaking exclusively to myKhel, Chopra reflected on why the duo may have chosen this moment to step away from Test cricket, while they will continue to offer their services in the ODIs.

Timing Right For Virat-Rohit Test Retirement?

"When will they announce, if not now? When they finished the last BGT series, they went on to play the Champions Trophy, then IPL, and at least there is some gap," she remarked. "So announcing retirement in the middle of an IPL wouldn't have made any sense anyway because the IPL was, is still on."

The former India women's cricket team captain talked about the tight schedule that Indian cricketers have had to endure in recent months - from a grueling Test series against Australia to a victorious Champions Trophy campaign, followed by the ongoing IPL 2025 season.

"There has been no time, and the guys have been playing cricket throughout," Chopra said, adding that the decision, although surprising for fans, might have been planned earlier. "That's okay, I mean, that's fine. Possibly, he'd already communicated or he'd already thought about it, which obviously, it's between the selectors and Virat-Rohit."

Clarity for Selectors Now: Anjum Chopra

Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket on May 12, bringing the curtain down on a stellar career that saw him score 9,230 runs in 123 Tests, with 30 centuries and 7 double hundreds. Just days earlier, on May 7, Rohit Sharma also bid farewell to the longest format on May 7, having scored 4,301 runs in 67 matches.

According to the Delhi cricketer, what's important now is clarity: "Yes, at the end of the day, it's okay - at least they (the selectors) know he will not be available, rather than calling it at any other time."

While fans and pundits continue to process the double retirement, the cricketer-turned-commentator's straightforward analysis provides much-needed perspective on the timing, planning, and personal space these legends deserve after years of service.

As Indian cricket heads into a new era with an eye on the England tour next month, the void left by the iconic Ro-Ko duo will undoubtedly take time to fill - both in terms of performance and presence.