Rohit Sharma addresses retirement claims

Addressing widespread claims regarding his exit from international cricket, Indian Test captain Rohit Sharma has said that he will not be retiring soon. 

In an interview with match presenters during the Sydney Test on Saturday, Rohit said, "Arrey yaar, main kahi na jaa raha hu [I'm not going anywhere]."

The Indian captain's statement came as presenters thanked him at the end of the interview.

When asked about stepping down as skipper for the ongoing Test match, he said, "Honestly, it was a personal decision to step down just for this game. I've been working hard on my batting, but things weren't clicking. I felt it was the right call to step aside for such an important match. But I'll continue playing for India, and retirement is not on my mind right now."

Rohit also addressed the criticism he has faced as captain. "People with a mic, laptop, or pen don't change our lives. They can't decide when we go or when we play. I've played this game for so long, and I know what's best for the team and myself. Since 2007, my goal has always been to win games for my team. If you don't think of the team, then there's no point. Cricket is a team sport, and decisions should always reflect that."

It merits a mention that pacer Jasprit Bumrah is leading the team in Rohit's absence.

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Many Indian players keen to take captaincy after Sharma's retirement: Reports

After Rohit Sharma's departure, many players are eager for the leader's role despite the presence of multiple seniors in the team. 

Indian media has reported that the search for a strong candidate for captaincy is in full swing, but no decision has been made regarding his future yet. 

Jasprit Bumrah captained the team in Rohit's absence during the first match, but after Rohit's departure, many players in the dressing room were eager for the  leader role. Bumrah is unlikely to be given the captaincy after Rohit Sharma's retirement. 

However, the Indian Express revealed in its report that a certain player on the team proposed an "interim captaincy", calling him 'Mr. Fix It' so that the current situation and the dressing room atmosphere can be controlled.

However, the report did not mention who the candidate for the interim captaincy is, but is considered to be among the senior players on the team.

The team's young candidates are not very impressed with the player who has shown ambitions for captaincy.

On the other hand, Bumrah may be the only choice for long-term Test captaincy, but Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul are also seen as favourites for the captaincy.