Mark Taylor claims Rohit Sharma was withdrawn due to poor form

Former Australian captain and cricket expert Mark Taylor did not hold back his views on Rohit Sharma’s absence from the fifth and final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Speaking to Triple M Cricket, Taylor criticized India’s claim that they are “resting” Rohit, suggesting that the term hides a much simpler truth: the Indian skipper was withdrawn due to poor form.

“Just Say He’s Dropped” – Mark Taylor’s Blunt Take on Rohit Sharma

Taylor expressed disbelief at the decision to rest Rohit Sharma, especially in such a crucial match. He termed the explanation as a poor attempt to soften the blow of a captain’s ban.

“The bottom line is that the captain of a country does not rule out the final Test match, the deciding Test match of a series. There’s no question that it’s been rejected and I don’t know why they’re not just saying that,” Taylor said.

He further explained that falling is not a crime in professional cricket. “It doesn’t mean it’s down forever. It just means that he was kicked out of this test because he is out of shape. This is not a crime. This is professional sport,” Taylor added.

Rohit Sharma has… chosen to rest? 🤔

Mark Taylor: "He's been dropped and I don't know why they don't just say he's been dropped."#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/SHfHCuJwcn

— Triple M Cricket (@triplemcricket) January 2, 2025

Rohit Sharma’s performance in the ongoing series is far from his usual standards. In three matches, he has scored only 31 runs at a paltry average of 6.20. Such a streak saw him make way for Shubman Gill in the playing XI.

Rohit’s absence also saw Jasprit Bumrah step up as captain. Bumrah has proven his leadership ability in the past, having led India to victory in the first Test of the series in Perth.

Bumrah comes in for Rohit Sharma at the SCG

In the absence of Rohit, Jasprit Bumrah has taken over as the captain of the Indian team. Bumrah previously captained Team India to victory during the First Test of the series in Perth.

At the toss, Bumrah looked focused and upbeat about the challenge ahead. “We are looking to bat first. We played good cricket. The last match was exciting. The grass doesn’t look spicy. We have always learned to digest defeats. We will look forward to it,” Bumrah said confidently.

India made two changes for the game. Shubman Gill replaced Rohit Sharma while paceman Prasidh Krishna came in for Akash Deep, who is nursing a back injury.

The SCG Test is an encounter for India. A win keeps alive their hopes of qualifying for the World Test Championship final. A defeat or draw, however, would dash their dreams and spell the end of their journey in this cycle’s campaign.

The cryptic tone of Sundaresan’s remark only fueled speculation. Fans debated whether there was more to Rohit’s absence than meets the eye.

For India, this SCG Test is nothing short of crucial. A win keeps their World Test Championship final hopes alive. A defeat or a draw, however, would end their journey.

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