15th July 2024, Mumbai: India opener and captain Rohit Sharma has announced his retirement from T20 Internationals following India’s thrilling victory over South Africa in the T20 World Cup 2024 final. The announcement came after he led the team to its much-awaited triumph, marking the end of an illustrious T20I career.
Having taken over the reins from Virat Kohli in 2021, Rohit has had a remarkable stint as captain, leading India to the knockout stages of the T20 World Cup 2022, the World Test Championship (2023), and the ICC Men’s World Cup 2023. His leadership culminated in India’s victorious T20 World Cup 2024 campaign.
Rohit, speaking at an event in the USA, clarified that he has no plans to retire from ODIs and Tests. “I just said it, I don’t look that far ahead. So clearly, you will be seeing me play for a while,” he affirmed.
Reflecting on the nerve-wracking final against South Africa, where India successfully defended a challenging total, Rohit said, “I was completely blank because I don’t think too far ahead. I focus on the situation. It was important for all of us to stay calm and execute our plans. So when they needed 30 off 30, the pressure was on us and the five overs that we bowled then, it showed we did our job calmly, didn’t panic which was very good from our side.”
Rohit, who debuted in T20Is in 2007, has had a prolific career in the shortest format. In 159 matches, he amassed 4231 runs at an average of 32.05, including five centuries and 32 fifties. His tally of 4231 runs is the highest by any player in Men’s T20Is to date, and he also holds the record for the most centuries in this format.
As India celebrates this significant victory, fans can look forward to seeing Rohit Sharma continue to make his mark in ODIs and Test cricket, carrying forward his legacy in the longer formats.
