Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have officially ended their Test cricket careers. Rohit was the first to announce his retirement on May 7, followed by Virat on May 12. Both made the news public through Instagram, marking the end of an era in Indian cricket.
Earlier, the two legends also retired from T20 Internationals after India won the 2024 T20 World Cup. Now, they’ve stepped away from Tests too just before the 2025-27 World Test Championship cycle begins.
While their retirements happened close together, that’s not the only thing they have in common. Let’s look at five stunning similarities in their Test careers and a few extra facts that make this story even more special.
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1. Both Made Their Test Debut Against West Indies After ICC Wins
- Virat Kohli debuted in Tests after helping India win the 2011 ODI World Cup. His first Test was against the West Indies in Kingston.
- Rohit Sharma made his Test debut after winning the 2013 Champions Trophy. His first match was also against the West Indies, in November 2013.
That’s not all both started their red-ball careers soon after India celebrated big ICC wins. A strong start for two strong careers.
2. Both Played Their Last Home Test at the Same Stadium
Rohit and Virat played their final home Test at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. This stadium has deep history it hosted:
- The 2011 World Cup final
- Sachin Tendulkar’s last Test
- Now, it’s also the venue for Virat and Rohit’s last home Test (vs New Zealand, November 2024)
It’s a poetic goodbye at a historic ground.
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3. Both Got Out for Single-Digit Scores in Their Final Test Innings
- In his last Test (vs Australia, Boxing Day Test 2024, MCG), Rohit scored 3 and 9, dismissed both times by Pat Cummins.
- Virat’s last match was at the SCG, also against Australia. He scored just 6 runs in his final innings, with Scott Boland taking his wicket.
It’s rare, but both stars ended their Test journeys with scores below ten, reminding us that even legends have tough days.
4. Bangladesh: The Only Place Where Neither Scored a Fifty
For two batting greats, this is a surprising fact:
- Virat Kohli played 3 Tests in Bangladesh but never crossed 50. His highest score was 24, and he made just 59 runs in total.
- Rohit Sharma played only one Test in Bangladesh and scored 6 runs.
Even top players sometimes struggle in certain conditions, and for both, it was Bangladesh.
5. Both Got Their First Test Win as Captains Against Sri Lanka
- Virat Kohli became full-time Test captain in 2015 and got his first win in that role against Sri Lanka.
- Rohit Sharma also started his captaincy with a Test series against Sri Lanka in 2022. India won both matches.
Different years, same opponent, same result a winning start to captaincy for both.
Also Read: Rajat Patidar Participation In Doubt For The Remainder Of IPL 2025
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