NEW DELHI: Former India cricketer Manoj Tiwary has stirred a major debate with a bold claim surrounding the retirement of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma from Test cricket. The pair walked away from the format earlier this year, only a week apart, leaving the cricketing world stunned.
Their sudden decision had triggered endless theories, but now Tiwary has offered a completely different angle to what might have happened behind the scenes.
Manoj Tiwary's massive claim
According to what Manoj Tiwary told India Today, both Kohli and Rohit were eager to keep representing India in the longest format, but the atmosphere inside the team made it difficult for them to continue.
Tiwary also responded strongly to head coach Gautam Gambhir’s comment that India were dealing with a transition after the defeat in the first Test against South Africa. The former Bengal captain said the idea of transition does not hold weight in a country overflowing with domestic talent.
“This whole ‘transition phase’ talk—I don’t agree with it. India doesn’t need a transition. New Zealand or Zimbabwe need transition. Our domestic cricket is full of talented performers waiting for chances,” Tiwary told India Today.
Tiwary argued that using the term transition sends the wrong message and creates a sense of instability for senior players who are still capable of contributing.
Atmosphere pushed them away
Tiwary then made his strongest point, claiming that the environment created around the Test side made Kohli and Rohit feel sidelined, despite their desire to continue playing.
“Because of this unnecessary transition, our star players—like Virat and Rohit—who wanted to keep playing Test cricket and protect its sanctity, slowly stepped back because of the atmosphere created around them,” he said while speaking to India Today.
His comments suggest that the change did not happen naturally but was influenced by the internal setting around the team, a revelation that has now opened up fresh questions about communication and clarity in Indian cricket.
