World Cup heroes: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli announce retirement from T20I after historic win

New Delhi: India's captain Rohit Sharma has announced his retirement from T20 international cricket following India's victory in the World Cup final against South Africa on Saturday. Rohit confirmed that he will continue to play for India in Test and ODI formats but will step back from T20Is. This decision comes shortly after his teammate Virat Kohli also announced his retirement from T20 cricket for India.

What Rohit Sharma said? 

"I've enjoyed every moment since I started playing this format. This is what I wanted - I wanted to win the cup," Rohit stated during the post-match press conference, celebrating India's second T20 World Cup title.

Following Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma has also retired from the T20 format. It's a great way to retire after winning the World Cup for your country.

pic.twitter.com/l1YYIPYo4p

— Habib Khan (@HabibKhanT) June 29, 2024

Rohit Sharma's T20I careeer 

Rohit Sharma's T20I career began in the 2007 T20 World Cup, where he debuted against England. Over 17 years, he rose to become India's highest run-scorer in T20Is with 4231 runs from 159 matches, averaging 32.05 and achieving five centuries, the most by any Indian batsman. He was appointed India's full-time T20I captain in November 2021, culminating in his 50th win as skipper.

Same team when he faced in his debut

Rohit's final T20I match coincidentally took place against South Africa, the same team he faced in his debut, marking his departure as India's top scorer in the T20 World Cup with 257 runs.

Retiring at their peak 

His retirement, along with Kohli's, at ages 36 and 35 respectively, sets a rare example of Indian sportspersons retiring at their peak, paving the way for younger players ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup in India. The duo's focus will now shift towards ODIs and Tests, with upcoming tournaments including the Champions Trophy and the World Test Championship. Despite initial doubts after their absence in the 2022 T20 World Cup semifinals, both players were reinstated in the squad by BCCI secretary Jay Shah for the 2024 T20 World Cup and subsequent Afghanistan T20Is, proving beneficial as India claimed victory.

Excelled as an opener in T20Is

Rohit's recent form was under scrutiny after a challenging IPL 2024 season, but his resurgence during the T20 World Cup showcased his resilience, including standout performances against Australia and England. Similar to his ODI career, Rohit excelled as an opener in T20Is, contributing significantly to India's successes from the top of the order.

T20 World Cup IND vs SA 

India secured their first global title in 11 years with a thrilling seven-run win over South Africa in the T20 World Cup final, propelled by the strategic acumen of Virat Kohli and the inspirational leadership of Rohit Sharma. This victory elevates Sharma to the elite company of Kapil Dev and MS Dhoni as only the third captain to lift the ICC World Cup for India.