'I saw him quite emotional on the field yesterday.'
'That's unusual for us to see Rohit like that.'
Rohit Sharma may not have announced his retirement from Test cricket, but former Australia coach Justin Langer believes the Indian captain's body language hints at an imminent decision.
The latter half of 2024 has been a challenging period for Rohit, both as a batter and as a leader, casting doubts over his future in the longest format of the game.
After a stellar start to the year -- drawing a Test series in South Africa, notching two centuries against England, and leading India to a historic T20 World Cup victory -- Rohit's form has taken a significant dip.
India suffered a series defeat to Sri Lanka in ODIs, followed by a humiliating 0-3 loss to New Zealand at home.
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The current Australia tour has seen similar struggles, with India's only victory coming in Rohit's absence.
'Rohit Sharma looks very tired to me. I saw him quite emotional on the field yesterday. That's unusual for us to see Rohit like that. He's usually so calm, so chilled out. But he was showing his emotions; he looks tired.
'It's understandable because, as a cricketer, when you're not making runs, that's all that stays on your mind. And as captain, if you're not making runs and your team is not winning, the stress starts to come into the game,' Langer observed after Australia's 184 run victory in Melbourne, which gave them a 2-1 lead in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.
'Whether he can get up for Sydney, that's up to him. It's a big challenge. India need him to get up to speed in Sydney.'
Langer echoed former India coach Ravi Shastri's confidence in Virat Kohli.
'He looked excellent in that first innings. Maybe the run-out (of Yashasvi Jaiswal) did ruffle him, but we were surprised to see him get out the way he did. He is still a great player, is in outstanding physical condition, and all Indians would be hoping he comes good,' Langer said.
As Rohit navigates this challenging phase, the spotlight remains firmly on Sydney, where his future in Test cricket could reach a defining conclusion.
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