Moments after India’s epic win over South Africa in the World T20 final in Barbados, and minutes after head coach Rahul Dravid was joyously flipped in the air, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were involved in a tight bear hug.
It was an emotional moment when the stalwarts lowered their guard, letting emotions get the better of them. The Sharma-Kohli bear hug video broke the internet.
Rarely has Indian cricket seen batters of such contrasting styles dominate world cricket.
Kohli, with his intensity and unwavering focus, and Sharma’s laidback, languid approach are poles apart.
After India became the first team to sprint through the 20-team World T20 in the United States and the Caribbean undefeated, Sharma and Kohli announced their retirements from the T20I format.
“I never thought that I would retire from T20s. But the situation is such, I thought it is the perfect situation for me. Nothing better than winning the Cup and saying goodbye,” Sharma, 37, said at the post-match press conference.
 "Jadeja")
“This was my last T20 World Cup, and this is exactly what we wanted to achieve,” Kohli told the broadcasters, after India ended a 11-year ICC title drought. Their decisions did not leave fans shell shocked. In a sense, many saw it coming. Both Sharma and Kohli had hardly featured in T20Is after the 2022 World T20 in Australia.
Seasoned all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja on Sunday also announced his retirement from T20Is, joining teammates Kohli and Sharma in bidding adieu to the format a day after winning the coveted crown.
With the ICC title in their kitty, the three men have now passed on the baton to the next generation.
It seems that a whole generation of Indian superstars are now walking away from T20Is.
They will still be available in other formats: Tests, ODIs and the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL).
Dilip Vengsarkar, former India batter and member of India’s victorious 1983 World Cup squad, believes the trio still have a lot to offer to Indian cricket.
“I look at it this way. Their presence in any dressing room, be it in the IPL or in an international fixture, would only help young and upcoming players. Because they are experienced, and their insights are fascinating,” Vengsarkar tells Business Standard.
Going forward, Sharma, Kohli and Jadeja may well be walking in the footsteps of their illustrious senior, MS Dhoni. These days, the 2011 World Cup winning captain only features in the IPL.
At the international level, former New Zealand pacer, has also quit international cricket to spend time with family. But the lodestar cricketer said that he will be available to play in the IPL. Dhoni and Boult have opened the doors to a new monetisation model for cricketers.
Play cricket for only two months in a year, and keep yourself fit for the rest of the year. They are showing the way for others to follow. With ODIs having lost its appeal, and Test cricket only finding a niche audience, it is only the IPL that seems to attract cricketers, for both the greenhorns and the seasoned.
Even after all these years, Dhoni, 43, continues to remain a magnet for endorsers. Brand strategists reckon that like Dhoni, Sharma, Kohli and Jadeja’s equity will not take a hit owing to their retirement from T20Is.
“Their brand equity will not get diluted. In fact, they will now be able to devote more time to their respective brands. Over time, they have become such major brands, so much so that advertisers will now be queuing up to tell a story around them,” Rupesh Kashyap, Mumbai-based cultural strategist and brand creative director, tells Business Standard.
With the World T20 crown and the retirement of Sharma, Kohli and Jadeja, Indian cricket’s tricky period of transition has well and truly begun.
BCCI announces Rs 125 crore for Team India
BCCI secretary Jay Shah on Sunday hailed India’s epochal title win in the T20 World Cup and announced a prize money of Rs 125 crore for the team for its monumental feat in the just-concluded ICC showpiece.
First Published: Jun 30 2024 | 11:59 PM IST
