BCCI Under Fire Again Over Absence Of Farewell Tests: 'India Fall Short In This Regard'

Former England left-arm spinner Monty Panesar has said that the BCCI should have planned farewell Tests for Rohit Sharma, ace batter Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin, adding that even as England celebrate their legendary players, India fall short on that front.

Panesar believes India missed a key chance to honour the careers of Rohit, Kohli and Ashwin, contrasting the approach with England, where retiring cricketers are given special farewell games.

As per Panesar, such games serve as a mark of respect for cricketers who have devoted many years to the sport.

“The BCCI should have planned farewell Test matches for R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. They deserved that respect. England celebrate its players when they retire, for example, Stuart

Broad and James Anderson were given great farewells, but India fall short in this regard,” Panesar said while speaking to IANS.

Kohli and Rohit retired from Tests in May last year, while Ashwin announced his retirement from international cricket after the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia in December 2024.

Regarded as one of the greatest batters of the modern era, Kohli brought the curtain down on his 14-year Test career with 9,230 runs from 123 games at an average of 46.85, including 30 hundreds and 31 fifties.

Rohit featured in 67 Tests, amassing 4,301 runs at an average of 40.57, with 12 hundreds and 18 fifties. His numbers were even more brilliant as an opener, where he averaged 42.81.

Ashwin finished his Test career with 537 wickets from 106 games at an average of 24, making him India’s second-highest wicket-taker in the format, behind only Anil Kumble.

In white-ball cricket, Ashwin claimed 228 wickets across ODIs and T20Is, taking his overall international tally to 765 wickets. He was also a member of India’s title-winning teams at the 2011 World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy.

Rohit and Kohli are still active in ODIs and it needs to be seen if they receive a farewell in their final games in the format.