Throughout his stint as Indian captain, Rohit Sharma has repeatedly stressed his focus on leading the side to an ICC title since he took up the leadership role in late 2021. Since then, his dreams have been crushed thrice in three different tournaments, with one of the biggest heartbreaks coming roughly six months ago when India faced a final defeat to Australia in a home ODI World Cup. However, on June 29 this year, Rohit and India’s wait for an ICC title ended in the most magnificent fashion, as the side lifted the T20 World Cup title, defeating South Africa in Barbados.
Emotions ran high as Rohit Sharma broke down in tears, sinking to his knees the moment India clinched the dramatic T20 World Cup final. His intense desire for a trophy was well known, and it was vividly highlighted the next day when the captain posted a heartfelt selfie on his official Instagram profile.
In a selfie from his bed, Rohit Sharma wished morning with the T20 World Cup title beside him in the Barbados hotel room.
The T20 World Cup victory marked a high point in Rohit’s cricketing career, as the Indian captain announced his retirement from the format following the match. Rohit confirmed that he would no longer play T20Is during the post-match press conference.
He wasn’t the only player in the Indian team to call time on their T20I career; Virat Kohli, Rohit’s opening partner in the tournament and India’s batting stalwart for over a decade, also announced his retirement after a match-winning knock in the first innings of the game. Kohli signed off from the format as a Player of the Match in the final, following a series of low scores in the tournament.
On Sunday, India’s senior spin-bowling all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja also confirmed his retirement from T20Is. All three players will remain available for the ODIs and Tests.
Team India will return to action in the five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe, where Shubman Gill will make a return to the shortest format and will lead the national team for the first time.
