After India won the T20 World Cup in 2024, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma declared their retirements from Twenty20 International cricket.
The image of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli sobbing perfectly captured the emotions of the Indian cricket team and their supporters after their side's defeat against Australia in the 2023 ODI World Cup final. Even though both players were part of the national team when they were younger and won World Cups, the defeat denied them the opportunity to cap off their remarkable careers.
But on Saturday, there was no such situation as India emerged victorious in a thrilling match against South Africa to win the T20 World Cup 2024, and the veteran pair's delight was evident. As Virat gave another forceful celebration and fist bump, revealing his competitive nature, Rohit collapsed to the ground in tears. But the two announcements that rocked Indian cricket made the win bittersweet.
When host Harsha Bhogle questioned star batter Vijay Kohli about his future shortly after the game, Kohli said that it was his last Twenty20 International match wearing Indian colors. Shortly after the match, within two hours, Rohit entered the post-match press conference and said to the journalists that he too was saying goodbye to Twenty20 cricket.
Even if the players and supporters are still in awe of their T20 World Cup victory, the retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma marked a seismic change in Indian cricket. They were the most seasoned players on the national squad, and their departure leaves the future unclear.
India's new skipper in the T20 format will be named after Rohit's departure. After leading the team in many series and acting as Rohit's deputy throughout the World Cup, Hardik Pandya seems to be the captain-elect, although some fresh candidates have also surfaced recently.
While Shubman Gill was chosen by the team management to captain the squad in the next series against Zimbabwe, Rishabh Pant has shown himself to be a reliable option in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
In addition to the leadership dilemma, Rohit's exit means India will need to find a whole new opening combination. Every T20 World Cup match saw Rohit and Virat start the batting, and now the squad needs players like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad to establish a claim.
When it comes to Kohli, how can you replace maybe the greatest hitter in contemporary cricket? In addition to being a brilliant fielder and a good batsman, Kohli was a fixture in the Indian cricket team's dressing room. The onus now shifts to the veteran players to assume leadership responsibilities and to locate a player capable of taking over the vital No. 3 batting position.
In addition to Rohit and Kohli, Rahul Dravid's tenure as head coach came to an end in the T20 World Cup final. Following the competition, he announced that he will not be extending his contract, marking the end of his term. The hunt for his replacement is on, and although Gautam Gambhir is presently leading the pack, the winner would inherit an entirely revamped Indian team.
It is almost ideal that Rohit and Kohli completed their incredible careers with a World Cup victory as all good things eventually come to an end. The announcements also indicate that the Indian cricket squad would face a fresh, although unclear, future in the coming months.
