Rohit Sharma, after announcing his retirement from Test cricket on Wednesday, launched a scathing critique of the country's current media and commentary standards. The ODI skipper accused both of prioritising sensationalism over genuine cricket analysis.

Speaking to journalist Vimal Kumar in an exclusive interview, Rohit candidly aired his views and talked about how the current standards have become a growing problem in cricket journalism and broadcasting.

"You guys are focused on creating controversy, on blowing up news. The quality of journalism has gone down. Earlier, conversations would revolve around cricket. Now, it's all about getting views, likes, and making more people read your articles," Rohit said.

Emphasising how there is a visible decline in discussions surrounding the tactical and analytical aspects of the game.

"Very little is written or spoken about the game itself. Tactics, analysis, it's all missing. When there's a match on, we watch it on TV. But listen to how commentators speak these days," Rohit explained.

Acknowledging that the team has underperformed on certain occasions, the 38-year-old said he is open to criticism but called for fairness and sincerity.

"Yes, things have sometimes gone out of our hands, and we haven't performed well. We fully deserve criticism for that. Yes, we didn't do well against New Zealand at home, so yes, criticise us," Rohit said.

"But there's a way to criticise people. I think here, it's agenda-driven criticism. That's not likeable," Rohit added.

Rohit also criticised Indian broadcasters for centring coverage around individual stars and their personal lives, instead of focusing on the team and the sport itself. "The current state of commentary in India is a disservice to genuine cricket lovers who are eager to deepen their understanding of the game," he said.

Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from IPL 2025,IPL Orange Cap, IPL Purple Cap, Most Sixes in IPL, Cricket, Sports and around the world.