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New Delhi: After Indian captain Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from Test cricket the decision sparked plenty of debate. Amid the noise Rohit didn’t hold back—he hit back at commentators who had been critical of his recent form with the bat. One of the most vocal responses came from former India cricketer and commentator Sanjay Manjrekar who weighed in on the conversation with his own take. Sanjay Manjrekar took to social media to subtly respond to Rohit’s comments pointing out concerns about his recent form and fitness in Test matches. While he didn’t name Rohit directly the message was clear—and it added another layer to the ongoing debate around the timing of the captain’s retirement. “164 in his last 15 innings. Out of which 10 were at home v Bangladesh & NZ. Average 10.9. With his current fitness levels… Rohit Sharma’s days as Test opener were over. So…” Manjrekar wrote on X (formerly Twitter). The post came just a day after Rohit Sharma opened up in an interview with journalist Vimal Kumar where he spoke candidly about the criticism he’s faced over the years. While he didn’t call anyone out by name Rohit made it clear he’s grown tired of what he described as “unnecessary criticism” particularly from some Indian commentators. “Criticism is a part of a sportsperson’s life. Criticism is necessary and important. But what I’m against is unnecessary criticism. I don’t like it” Rohit said in the YouTube interview. He also added that he doesn’t pay attention to such comments anymore and they don’t bother him. Rohit didn’t hold back when it came to sharing his views on the current state of commentary in India. He drew a sharp comparison with Australian commentators saying he often feels disappointed when he tunes into Indian coverage. Given that Sanjay Manjrekar has been a prominent voice in the commentary box for years it’s likely Rohit’s remarks struck a nerve and may have felt quite personal to him. Rohit’s decision to step away from Test cricket came just days ahead of the BCCIs squad announcement for the upcoming Test series against England which marks the start of India’s new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. While he’s stepping back from the red-ball format Rohit has made it clear that he’s not done yet—he’ll continue to play and lead the team in ODIs especially after recently guiding India to a memorable Champions Trophy victory.