Soil check. Retirement check. Rohit Sharma joined Virat Kohli in making room for youngsters by calling time on his incredible T20I career after ending India's long wait for an ICC title. Rohit and Co. upstaged South Africa in the final of the T20 World Cup 2024 by seven runs at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on Saturday. While Kohli saved his best for the last, skipper Rohit masterminded India's historic title triumph to etch his name into international cricket folklore.

Kohli smashed his best score (76 off 59 balls) in the T20 World Cup 2024 to earn the Player of the Final award. Leading India from the front in the ICC event, skipper Rohit notched up three half-centuries and handed India the tag of the invincibles. Team India is first men’s side to win an ICC T20 World Cup without losing a single game. After playing the match-winning knock for India against the Proteas, Kohli dropped the retirement bombshell, which was nothing but an open secret for the ex-India skipper.

Saluting the brilliance of Kohli following his retirement from the shortest format, legendary Indian opener Virender Sehwag penned a heartwarming note for the talismanic batter of the Men In Blue. Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, the former India skipper backed Kohli to reach new heights in the traditional formats of the game. In his special message, Sehwag recalled Kohli's iconic knock against Pakistan at the T20 World Cup.

'Kohli by far the best T20 World Cup batter'

“What to say about Virat the T20 World Cup batsman. By far the best T20 World Cup batsman ever, carried the team in 2014 and 2016 single-handedly winning games from difficult situations, in 2022 Melbourne will be in folklore of our T20 history and yesterday in the finals showing his class again. More than the runs, what has been most impressive has been his approach which is reflected in what he says, attributing so much to something larger than himself, which I believe is the grace of a Guru. His T20 career comes to a stellar end and I pray that May the Grace be upon him and he continue to set high standards in the other two formats,” Sehwag said.

After Kohli confirmed his departure, skipper Rohit also revealed that he has played his final game for India in the shortest format. Rohit became the second Indian skipper after MS Dhoni to win an ICC T20 World Cup crown. The 37-year-old was also a part of Dhoni's title-winning side in the 2007 edition of the ICC event. The outgoing skipper guided India to three finals in 12 months. Rohit's Team India lost back-to-back finals to Australia before lifting the T20 World Cup trophy in Barbados.

‘Rohit created a caring atmosphere within the team’

“Rohit, the only player who has played all 9 T20 World Cups, have been extremely impressed by the way he had transformed his game into a more attacking one in the last year or so and created a caring atmosphere within the team. It has been much needed and has also bought about results. Very proud of how you have held yourself and wish you the best in the times ahead,” Sehwag added.

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