Indian journalist Vikrant Gupta urges Rohit Sharma to retire after disappointing form

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Indian sports journalist Vikrant Gupta has called for Rohit Sharma to step down from captaincy of India's Test cricket team, adding to the growing speculation about the star player's future.

Speaking on the digital platform Sports Tak, Vikrant Gupta said, "If he does not announce his retirement, it will be a surprise for me." His comments come as India's performance on the second day of the Boxing Day Test came under scrutiny.

Vikrant Gupta pointed out that no player in India has voluntarily stepped down, but he believes Rohit Sharma’s diminishing returns with the bat are affecting his leadership. "When runs are not coming, the captain’s respect in the dressing room starts to decrease. No one in cricket remains a captain for life," Vikrant Gupta added.

Rohit Sharma's recent form has been a cause for concern. In the ongoing Border-Gavaskar series, he has scored a mere 22 runs in four innings, including scores of 3, 6, 10, and 3. His poor performance continued in the Melbourne Test, where he was dismissed by Australian captain Pat Cummins for just 3 runs.

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has also weighed in on the matter, predicting that Rohit Sharma could step down if his form does not improve in the upcoming matches. "If Rohit Sharma flops in Melbourne and Sydney, he will resign and will not wait for the selectors' decision,"Sunil Gavaskar said.

The pressure is mounting on the Indian skipper, with fans taking to social media to express their frustration. One fan wrote, "Rohit Sharma should announce retirement from cricket," while another said, "It's time for retirement." Some even urged the captain to step down for the sake of Indian cricket.

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Rohit Sharma’s batting slump has been ongoing for some time. In his last 14 Test innings, he has scored only 152 runs, with just one score above fifty. In the series against Bangladesh and New Zealand, Sharma's batting was largely ineffective.

As India faces Australia in the fourth Test, the pressure on Rohit Sharma to deliver is intensifying. Fans and experts alike are questioning whether he will step down or retire to allow a new leader to take charge.

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