The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has paid heartfelt tribute to two stalwarts of Indian cricket, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, on their T20Is retirement after the historic seven-run win over South Africa in the T20 World Cup final on Saturday. After the conclusion of the match, Kohli announced that it was his final T20I game and was later joined by captain Rohit, who also bid adieu to the format in the post-match press conference. "An Era Comes To An End in T20Is! The Aura Will Stay Forever! 2 Legends of the game. Thank you, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli," BCCI wrote on X.
Both Kohli and Rohit had blistering T20I careers for India and the former represented the country in each of the T20 World Cups so far after making his debut against South Africa in 2007.
Kohli's T20 journey began in June 2010. Over 14 years, he featured in 125 T20Is, amassing 4188 runs, which included one century and 38 half-centuries. His relentless dedication and passion for the game made him the second-highest run-getter in T20Is, just behind his teammate Rohit Sharma.
On the other hand, Rohit's illustrious T20I career ended as 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.