Indian stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli announced their retirements from T20 Internationals (T20Is) after India’s triumphant campaign in the T20 World Cup 2024, which took place in the USA and West Indies. The Men in Blue brought home the ICC trophy after a painstaking 11-year-long wait, clinching the title with a memorable win over South Africa in the final. This glorious moment marked India’s second T20 World Cup victory.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, along with Ravindra Jadeja, chose this high note to bid adieu to their International 20-over careers. As the seasoned players stepped back, a fresh Indian team, captained by Shubman Gill, embarked on a new journey with a five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe. This series aims to build a squad geared for future triumphs.
The timely and significant retirements of these cricket icons naturally lead to a burning question among cricket enthusiasts: when will Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja be seen back in action on the cricket field? For fans yearning to see their favorite players, the wait may not be long.
India is set to play their five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe from July 6 to July 14. Following this series, the Men in Blue will head to Sri Lanka for a limited-overs series. The fixture list has India squaring off against Sri Lanka’s Lankan Lions in three T20Is followed by three One Day Internationals (ODIs) starting from July 27.
The battle against Sri Lanka will begin with three consecutive T20Is scheduled for July 27, July 28, and July 30. These will be followed by the ODI matches on August 2, August 4, and August 7. Since the trio of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja has retired from T20Is, their next anticipated appearance will be in the ODI format, commencing from August 2 onwards.
Rohit Sharma’s position as the captain remains unthreatened in the two remaining formats he plays.
. Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Jay Shah, spoke staunchly about Rohit continuing to lead the squad. Shah affirmed that Rohit Sharma would captain both the upcoming Champions Trophy and the World Test Championship final.
Jay Shah conveyed his confidence in a BCCI video by saying, “On November 23, after winning 10 matches, we won hearts, but we were unable to win the Cup. When I spoke in Rajkot on June 29, I made it clear that we would win hearts, lift the Cup, and hoist our flag in Barbados. And indeed, our captain did hoist it there.”
He further added, “After this victory, as we look forward to the upcoming ICC events — the World Test Championship final and the Champions Trophy — I am fully confident that our team, under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma, will emerge as champions.”
The upcoming fixtures for India against Sri Lanka are as follows:
– IND vs SL 1st T20I: July 27, Saturday
– IND vs SL 2nd T20I: July 28, Sunday
– IND vs SL 3rd T20I: July 30, Tuesday
– IND vs SL 1st ODI: August 2, Friday
– IND vs SL 2nd ODI: August 4, Sunday
– IND vs SL 3rd ODI: August 7, Wednesday
As Team India transitions to new leadership with Shubman Gill at the helm for their T20I fixtures, the veteran expertise of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja will still be crucial, albeit in different formats. The forthcoming series against Sri Lanka offers fans an exciting opportunity to witness the return of these cricket legends, trotting back onto the 22-yards with the determination to lead India to further glories.
While the retirement of such stalwarts may mark the end of an era in the shortest format of the game, it also heralds the dawn of a new chapter. With potential stars being groomed under the astute guidance and leadership of experienced cricketers like Sharma, Kohli, and Jadeja, the future of Indian cricket looks promising.
As the cricketing calendar for the Indian team is packed, the excitement among fans steadfastly remains. The spirit of cricket and the anticipation of watching their heroes back in action will fuel the fanfare as India embarks on its new adventures post the epic T20 World Cup victory. Will the combined experience of the seasoned players and the fiery passion of the new-gen talents propel India to more cricketing milestones? Only time will tell, but the journey promises to be nothing short of exhilarating.
