India's playing 11 from Rohit Sharma's Test debut in 2013 - where are they now?

Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from Test cricket on Wednesday, May 7, through a social media post. This means Rohit won't be available for the upcoming five-match Test series against England. The Indian selection committee now needs to appoint a new Test captain immediately after the Indian Premier League (IPL).

“Hello everyone I would just like to share that I am retiring from Test cricket. It's been an absolute honour to represent my country in whites. Thank you for all the love and support over the years. I will continue to represent India in the ODI format," wrote Rohit on his Instagram story.

Rohit Sharma’s Test journey was marred by injuries. He was supposed to make his Test debut in 2010 against South Africa but was ruled out due to an ankle injury that he sustained during practice. He finally made his Test debut in 2013 against the West Indies at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

He had a stellar start to his Test career, scoring back-to-back centuries in his first two matches. In his debut Test, he scored a magical 177 against the West Indies, helping India recover from a precarious situation. A star-studded India side featured in Rohit’s opening Test.

With Rohit having retired from the format, here is a look at the playing XI from Rohit’s opening Test:

Openers- Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay

Dhawan had a stop start Test career. Source: Getty

Dhawan scored 23 in Rohit Sharma’s debut Test, while Murali Vijay chipped in with 26. The duo shared a 42-run stand. Dhawan has retired from international cricket and can often be seen playing in T20 leagues featuring former players. Lately, he was also seen performing in music videos.

Murali Vijay announced his retirement from all forms of cricket in January 2023. Since then, he has played in a few T20 leagues. He can also be seen in the commentary box giving his insights on the game, and was a leading broadcaster during the T20 World Cup.

Middle order- Cheteshwar Pujara, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni

Pujara has been out of the Indian Test team for a while now.- Source: Getty

One of the most old-school Test cricketers in the modern generation, Cheteshwar Pujara is vying for a return in the Indian Test squad. A drastic dip in form saw Pujara being removed from the team. He has already played 103 Tests for India and can be seen in the expert panels for the ongoing IPL.

Arguably the greatest cricketer of all time, Sachin Tendulkar retired from Test cricket during Rohit Sharma’s debut Test series. He holds the record for most runs and most centuries in Test cricket. Tendulkar recently led the India Masters in the inaugural International Masters' League and can be often seen in the Mumbai Indians dug out as their mentor.

Virat Kohli couldn’t quite make an impact during Rohit’s debut Test but has evolved into arguably the greatest white-ball batter of all time. He broke Tendulkar’s record for most ODI centuries in the 2023 ODI World Cup. He retired from T20Is after India won the World Cup in 2024. He is currently one of the leading run scorers in the ongoing IPL.

The retirement of Rohit Sharma from Tests was always on the cards, especially after a dreadful Australia series and after he dropped himself from the final Test in Sydney. He scored a brilliant 177 on his Test debut in Kolkata and followed it up with another century.

However, it was only after his promotion as an opener that he managed to score a truckload of runs in Tests. Rohit will continue to play for India in ODIs. Coming to MS Dhoni, he was India’s captain during Rohit’s debut Test. He scored 42 and shared a good stand with Rohit Sharma.

Dhoni was India's captain during Rohit's debut Test. Source: Getty

Dhoni retired from international cricket after playing his last match in the 2019 ODI World Cup semi-final final. But he is still an active player in the IPL and is currently leading the Chennai Super Kings in the ongoing tournament. He is in the twilight of his career, but we might still see him back in the yellow for the next IPL.

Bowlers- Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Pragyan Ojha

One of the finest spinners to have graced the game of cricket, Ravichandran Ashwin, announced his retirement from international cricket midway through the Test series in Australia. He is still playing in the IPL and made a return to his old franchise, the Chennai Super Kings.

Ashwin runs a YouTube channel where he shares cricketing insights. The offie took five crucial wickets in the Test against West Indies in Kolkata. Meanwhile Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who was part of that Test match, has been away from international reckoning but has made a stellar return to IPL, playing for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar has gone for runs in the powerplay on occasions but he has been phenomenal at the death. He will be eyeing an India comeback through his IPL performances.

Shami also made his Test debut in the same Test. Source: Getty

Mohammed Shami made his Test debut during the Kolkata Test in 2013 and made a massive impact. He made the ball talk, and his reverse swing exploits became the talk of the town.

A local boy, Shami, bagged four wickets in the first innings and followed it up with a fifer in the second innings. He is currently part of the Sunrisers Hyderabad squad in the IPL but has endured a tough run in the tournament so far.

Last but not least, Pragyan Ojha was a leading spinner for India during the early 2010s. He failed to make an impact in that particular match, bagging just a solitary wicket. The left arm spinner is now involved in cricket commentary and is also working for the Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL).