India’s batsman Rohit Sharma called back time on his T20i career in June 2024. India had corrected the announcement after winning the T20 World Cup. Virat Kohli put curtains on his T20i career after winning the title for the first time and Rohit followed him with a similar announcement. The next day Ravindra Jadeja also left the format at the highest level and it left the three veterans of the game heavy in the team. More than 10 months after the announcement, Rohit spoke about his heart while talking about the verdict.
“If we had not won the T20 World Cup, I must have announced my retirement anyway because I tried enough. It is not appropriate for me to continue. You have to give others a chance. But after winning, you think you still have that you are this; you are playing well, and why have you not given the result?” Rohit told journalist Vimal Kumar later YouTube Channel.
“Because this place you have earned, have not come to you in any way. You have really worked hard for it. I know what I have done in my life and all things that I have passed to get it. So I know all these things. So why do you want to leave? If you are batting well, then you are giving results, then?” He said.
Announcing his T20i retirement in 2024, Rohit said, “This was also my last game. There was no better time to say goodbye. I wanted this (trophy) badly. It is very difficult to put in words.”
He said, “This was what I wanted and it happened. I was very desperate for it in my life. Glad that we crossed the line this time,” he said.
His announcement came on the heels of India’s second T20 World Cup title, a win that made great joy and pride for the nation.
Rohit’s retirement marked the end of a magnificent T20i career, during which he became the highest scorer of the format by scoring 4231 runs in 159 matches. He also holds records for the most centuries in T20 Internationals, five with five. His T20I visit began in 2007 with the T20 World Cup, where he was a prominent player in India’s first title victory. As captain, he inspired India for his second title, which further strengthened his legacy.
Earlier this month, Rohit also called time on his Test career. He is now active only in ODIs for India only, while the Indian Premier League continues to play T20 cricket for Mumbai Indians.
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