Mumbai: Rohit Sharma (37) and Virat Kohli (to turn 36 on November 5) have played the game long enough to know that Indian fans can be ruthless if you don’t measure up to their expectations. And in the age of social media, they have a tool to express their exact feelings.
As Team India lost the final Test by 25 runs following another dismal batting show against New Zealand spinners, fans were quick to pounce on the two senior pros.
“If you want Rohit Sharma to retire like this tweet.. #retire #ViratKohli #RohitSharma,” started trending on X in next to no time after the match at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium ended in two-and-a-half days.
From the high of lifting the T20 World Cup at Barbados to the despair of Team India suffering first-ever 3-0 Test whitewash on home soil, Rohit and Kohli have experienced it all in just over four months.
They both retired from T20 Internationals after that final, and now fans have identified the two of them as the principal villains for India’s humiliation, and want them to quit the game altogether.
Both managed just one 50-plus score in the series, aggregating less than 100 runs in 6 innings each at a dismal average of 15.
Netizens took to X to not only call for the duo’s retirement, but also seeking others’ support with ‘likes’.
Hundreds of users have been tweeting since then, with memes and sarcastic comments.
Have a look at the trolls targeting Rohit and Kohli:
If you want Virat Kohli to retire like this tweet #retire pic.twitter.com/7RXeyUW8MO
— 𝐒𝐔𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐄𝐋 𝐋𝐎𝐃𝐇𝐈 (@22_susheel) November 3, 2024
If you want Virat Kohli & Rohit to retire 🤔 like this tweet ..#ViratKohli #INDvNZ#whitewash #INDWvNZW New Zeeland
Gambhir #BCCI #retire
Team India pic.twitter.com/vNfYiQq9iK— Munesh Meena मुनेश मीणा (@drmmeena83) November 3, 2024
If you want Rohit Sharma to retire 🤔 like this tweet ..#retire#ViratKohli #INDvNZ #RohithSharma#Gambhir #BCCI pic.twitter.com/PQ7PkDPlQt
— Mahnoor Khan (@Mahnoor_khan126) November 3, 2024
If you want Virat Kohli to retire 🤔 like this tweet ..#retire#ViratKohli #INDvNZ #RohithSharma pic.twitter.com/qFifkodNTA
— Krishna manda (@Krishna70057771) November 3, 2024
If you want Virat Kohli to retire 🤔 like this tweet ..#ViratKohli #INDvNZ#whitewash#retirepic.twitter.com/ms68cwgurp
— 🇮🇳वतन का रखवाला 🇮🇳 (@Shekhawat0005) November 3, 2024
If you want Rohit Sharma to retire 🤔 like this tweet ..#retire#ViratKohli #INDvNZ #RohitSharma pic.twitter.com/Yqa72GYnHY
— KL Mahi Shankhdhar™🇮🇳🕉🚩💛 (@ImKLMahi) November 3, 2024
If you want Virat Kohli to retire 🤔 like this tweet ..Who is this guy? Does anybody know him? #retire#ViratKohli #INDvNZ #RohithSharma #retire pic.twitter.com/PBk6jxoK54
— N@vd!!PP@rm@@r (@NavdipParmar) November 3, 2024
Even coach Gautam Gambhir wasn’t spared as fans pointed out that Team India first lost an ODI series to Sri Lanka and now this Test wipeout at the hands of New Zealand in the few months since he has taken over from Rahul Dravid.
– Lost ODI series to mighty Sri Lanka
– Lost home test match to NZ after 30 years
– Lost the test series to NZ at home !!
– Whitewashed by NZ at home !!
Wellcome to The Gambhir Era!! 🔥🔥#INDvNZ #RohitSharma #retire #Gambhir #ViratKohli pic.twitter.com/dc0EPdPjpp
— 🔥🧊 (@MSD07_LEO) November 3, 2024
Shame on you Gambhir . If you think Gautam gambhir is responsible for breaking indian home test legacy 🤡 . Like this tweet and I will give 150 Rupees to everyone 🙌🙏#INDvNZ #indvsnz #gambhir #Whitewash #RohitSharma #retire
DSP Siraj | Sarfaraz | BCCI | Not Out | Team India pic.twitter.com/brWoY7JV9G
— देश की बेटी इंदु (@Congress_Indira) November 3, 2024
Pat Cummins on a Zoom call with pitch curators #INDvNZ #retire #gambhir #BCCI #RohitSharma pic.twitter.com/k4uwrF1UvH
— Aayat (@Aayat001) November 3, 2024