In a significant announcement following India’s triumphant T20 World Cup final win against South Africa, Indian captain Rohit Sharma revealed that the match would be his last in the T20 format. The 37-year-old captain shared the news during the post-match press conference.
“This is my last game as well, no better time to say goodbye to this format. I’ve loved every moment of this. I started my career for India playing this format and this is what I wanted, I wanted to win the World Cup,” Rohit said.
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Reflecting on the emotional weight of India’s first ICC tournament win in 11 years, Rohit added, “I am completely lost and can’t say what kind of emotions I am going through. Can’t explain it in words. Let this sink in. Last night, I couldn’t sleep as I was desperate and wanted it so badly. But I managed myself well inside the ground.”
Rohit Sharma’s legacy in Indian cricket is monumental. He joins an elite group of Indian captains who have won World Cups across different formats, alongside Kapil Dev (1983) and MS Dhoni (2007 and 2011). Furthermore, Rohit has set a new benchmark by becoming the first-ever captain to lead a team to 50 T20I wins, with the 50th victory being the historic World Cup final against South Africa.
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Taking over the captaincy in the shortest format after India’s underwhelming performance in the 2021 T20 World Cup, Rohit has led the team to remarkable success. His first major tournament as captain saw India reaching the semifinals in Australia, a campaign that ended with a defeat against England. Under his leadership, India has now become the first team to win the T20 World Cup without losing a single game, ending an 11-year ICC trophy drought.
Virat Kohli’s Farewell to T20 World Cups
Rohit’s retirement announcement follows closely on the heels of former Indian skipper Virat Kohli’s similar revelation. Kohli, who was the player of the match in the final, also stated that this was his last T20 World Cup.
“This was my last T20 World Cup, this is exactly what we wanted to achieve. One day you feel like you can’t get a run and this happens, God is great. Just the occasion, now or never kind of situation,” Kohli said in the post-match press conference.
As Indian cricket fans celebrate this historic World Cup victory, they also bid farewell to two of their most iconic players in the T20 format. The achievements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have left an indelible mark on the game, setting the stage for the next generation of cricketers to carry forward their legacy.
