'I Think The Reaction Has...': Ricky Ponting's Bold Statement On Rohit Sharma's Absence In Sydney Test vs Australia - WATCH

Rohit Sharma has already bid farewell to T20I cricket after leading India to ICC Men’s T20 World Cup title in 2024.

Ricky Ponting has given his verdict on India captain Rohit Sharma's absence from the ongoing fifth and last Test of the ongoing 2024-25 Border–Gavaskar Trophy against Australia in Sydney.

The Australian great feels there was no surprise around Rohit Sharma’s absence from the India XI for the fifth Border-Gavaskar Test, but he remains intrigued by the wording around the decision.

"I think the reaction has been that they all sort of expected that it might happen. The chat's been for the last couple of days that everyone expected that Rohit would not play this game, that Shubman Gill would come back in and that (Jasprit) Bumrah would probably take over the captaincy again and that's the way it's turned out," Ponting told The ICC Review at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).

Given Rohit's age, form and now that he’s not in the XI for a series-deciding Test match, Ponting feels it would take something special for Sharma to make another appearance in whites.

Notably, the 37-year-old Sharma has already bid farewell to T20I cricket after leading India to ICC Men’s T20 World Cup title in 2024, while an ODI swansong could come after the Champions Trophy 2025.

"You'd think it's probably a long way back for Rohit Sharma now in this format of the game. India don't play a Test match, I believe, until the middle or late June, which is a long way away when you're sort of coming to the back end of your career," Ponting said.

"I think he's been a terrific player for India so with those sort of guys, you wish them all the best and hope to see them back out there again, but as I said, I think it will be a long - and probably difficult road - back for him," he added.   

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The former Aussie skipper agreed with the rationale of Sharma missing the match but he was surprised with the wording of the news that came from the India camp.

"I was very surprised when I heard the term ‘opting out’ coming into such an important game. We know he's been a great stalwart for Indian cricket over a long period of time. So the way that they've actually worded it, you can only take it on face value," said Ponting.

"We've got to believe what we're hearing coming out of the Indian camp, but being such a big game, knowing that they have to win this one to retain the trophy, it was an interesting time for one of their more experienced players to opt out," he added.