Daijiworld Media Network- Mumbai

Mumbai, May 14: In a heartfelt gesture, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis welcomed Indian cricketing icon Rohit Sharma to his official residence, ‘Varsha’, on Monday evening, following the ace batter’s recent retirement from Test cricket.

Taking to social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Fadnavis expressed his admiration for the legendary cricketer and extended his best wishes for Sharma’s post-Test career journey.
“It was great to welcome, meet and interact with Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma at my official residence, Varsha. I extended my best wishes to him on his retirement from Test cricket and for continued success in the next chapter of his journey,” he wrote.

Rohit, popularly known as the 'Hitman', brought down the curtains on a memorable Test career that spanned 11 years and 67 matches. Having made his debut against the West Indies at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens in November 2013, Rohit began with a remarkable 177 and continued to add to his legacy with 4,301 runs at an average of 40.57, including 12 centuries and 18 fifties. His career-best of 212 came during the home series against South Africa in 2019.

Though initially inconsistent, especially in overseas conditions, Rohit’s resurgence came when he was promoted to open the innings. His twin centuries against South Africa in Visakhapatnam in 2019 turned the tide of his red-ball journey. During the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) era, Rohit featured in 40 matches, scoring 2,716 runs with an average of 41.15. He remains India’s top run-scorer and leading century-maker in WTC history.

Rohit also captained India to the WTC Final in 2023, where the team fell short against Australia at The Oval in London.

The meeting between Fadnavis and Rohit Sharma served as a tribute to a cricketer who evolved into one of India’s finest across formats. The CM's gesture echoed the sentiments of countless fans, honouring the Mumbaikar’s enduring legacy in Indian Test cricket.