Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, June 30: India’s onward journey in the T20 international cricket will have much of a changed look as three of the regular features on the ground announced their retirement from the shortest format of the game while the behind the screen planner ended his term as the head coach of the team on the same day.
It was perhaps the first time in the history of the country’s cricket that three senior players, whose inclusion in the first 11 was almost a foregone conclusion unless plagued by injuries, bows out of the game together.
After the senior player and former captain Virat Kohli, and the incumbent captain Rohit Sharma announced their retirement from T20 cricket soon after India’s magnificent victory in the T20 World Cup final against South Africa at Barbados in West Indies on Saturday night, the team’s all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja announced his retirement from the format in a social media post on Sunday.
Team’s head coach Rahul Dravid, considered to be one of the principal architects in India’s second T20 World Cup victory after the MS Dhoni-led team lifted the inaugural t20 World Cup in 2007, has completed his contract with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) with the Barbados match. His two-year term had expired last year but was extended till the T20 World Cup after which a new head coach will take over the mantle of the team.
Two of India’s greatest ever cricketers – Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma – announced their T20I retirements on Saturday, after the side’s second T20 World Cup win. While Kohli announced his retirement minutes after the historic triumph, India captain Rohit Sharma announced it in the official post match press conference. Rohit, who played a crucial role in India’s triumphant campaign, confirmed that he would continue to represent India in ODIs and Tests.
Rohit, whose searing 41-ball 92-run knock in the Super 8s clash against Australia would be remembered for years to come, said he was ‘desperate’ for the title. “This was my last game as well. No better time to say goodbye. I wanted this (trophy) badly. It’s very hard to put in words,” Rohit told the post-match press conference after ending India’s over-a-decade long title drought. “This what I wanted and it happened. I was very desperate for this in my life. Happy that we crossed the line this time,” he added.
His announcement came on the heels of India’s second T20 World Cup title, a victory that brought immense joy and pride to the nation. His retirement marks the end of an illustrious T20I career during which he became the format’s highest scorer, amassing 4231 runs in 159 matches. He also holds the record for the most centuries in T20 internationals, with five to his name. His T20I journey began with the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007, where he was a key player in India’s first title win. Now, as captain, he has led India to their second title, further cementing his legacy.
The final match against South Africa was a nail-biter, with India defending a target of 176 runs. The Proteas, needing 30 runs from the last 30 deliveries, appeared to have the upper hand. However, India’s bowlers, led by Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, and Arshdeep Singh, held their nerve in the crucial moments. Pandya, in particular, shone in the final over, successfully defending 16 runs and sealing a dramatic seven-run victory for India.
This triumph was particularly special for Rohit, who had experienced both highs and lows in his cricketing career. The win was a testament to his leadership, resilience, and unwavering determination. Reflecting on his journey, Sharma said, “I’ve loved every moment of this. I started my India career playing this format. This is what I wanted, I wanted to win the cup.”
His retirement follows that of his long-time teammate, Virat Kohli, who also announced his departure from T20 internationals after the World Cup. Together, Sharma and Kohli have been pillars of Indian cricket, their contributions instrumental in numerous victories over the years.
Following their footsteps, Ravindra Jadeja also announced his retirement from T20Is following India’s T20 World Cup 2024 triumph. The ace India all-rounder confirmed it via social media, posting his picture with the World Cup trophy in the dressing room after a 7-run win against South Africa at the Kensington Oval in Barbados.
“With a heart full of gratitude, I bid farewell to T20 internationals. Like a steadfast horse galloping with pride, I’ve always given my best for my country and will continue to do so in other formats. Winning the T20 World Cup was a dream come true, a pinnacle of my T20 International career. Thank you for the memories, the cheers, and the unwavering support,” Jadeja’s post read.
The spin-bowling all-rounder has come a long way since making his way into the team under the leadership of MS Dhoni. But he has not been able to hit his stride in the recently concluded tournament.
Since making his debut against Sri Lanka in February 2009, he has scored a total of 515 runs in the 74 matches he has taken part in and has taken 54 wickets in the shortest format. His best performance with the bat came against England in 2022 where he scored 46 off 29 deliveries which proved to be the difference as they went on to win the game by 49 runs. With the ball, his best bowling performance was up against Scotland in the 2021 T20 World Cup where he picked up figures of 3/15 in Dubai.
The most notable feature about Jadeja has been his fielding. During a time when we had the likes of Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh, the all-rounder from Saurashtra managed to stand out even more with his ability to hit the target on multiple occasions across his career.
With the likes of Axar Patel and Hardik Pandya in the side as the designated all-rounders, Jadeja can safely hand over the reins to the pair as he will now look to focus on the ODI and Test formats where he can make much more of an impact.
Rahul Dravid was a proud man as he signed off as the head coach of the Indian national men’s cricket team with the 2024 T20 World Cup title. Dravid, known for his calm and composed demeanour, let his emotions show when India won the match. He went all out with his emotions and was also seen cheering at the top of his voice on the podium while lifting the trophy following the medal ceremony.
Speaking to the press after the celebrations, Dravid said: “This was a journey of 2 years, this T20 World Cup. The construction of this team and the kind of skills we wanted, the players we wanted. The discussions started when I started in 2021…this is not the work of just this World Cup…It feels like a journey of 2 years…”
“As a player, I was not lucky enough to win a trophy but I gave my best…I was lucky enough to be given an opportunity to coach a team, I was lucky that this bunch of boys made it possible for me to be able to win this trophy. It is a great feeling, it is not like I was aiming for some redemption, it was the job I was doing…it has been a great journey…,” he added.
Under Dravid’s mentorship, India played three consecutive ICC finals including the World Test Championship and the ODI World Cup last year. India failed to outdo Australia on both occasions and had to wait for the coveted silverware until Barbados.
Dravid feels India will continue to dominate cricket and predicts more trophies in the coming years. “The boys nowadays, there is fantastic talent in the Indian cricket team. Their energy and confidence is on another level at this time…in the coming times, India will win so many trophies, in the next 5-6 years…,” he said.
Talking about captain Rohit Sharma, Dravid said, “…I will miss him as a person…what impresses me is the kind of person he is, the respect he has shown me, the kind of care and commitment he had for the team, the kind of energy he had to spent and he never backed down. For me, it will be the person I will miss the most…”
