Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja joined star batsmen Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in quitting the T20 Internationals a day after the Men in Blue defeated South Africa to win the coveted title in the shortest format.
“With a heart full of gratitude, I bid farewell to the T20 internationals,” Jadeja wrote on his official Instagram page a day after India's victory over South Africa in a thrilling World Cup final in Bridgetown.
“Like a steadfast horse that gallops with pride, I have 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, cheers and unwavering support,” he added.
In less than 24 hours, three of India's senior and senior players announced their retirement, which may make things a little difficult for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to find their replacement, as the three were widely considered great in their respective positions and roles.
In 74 T20Is played, Jadeja scored 515 runs and bagged 54 wickets.
Following India's T20 World Cup victory, Kohli announced his retirement immediately during a post-match ceremony and said that it is time for the next generation to take over. On the other hand, Rohit Sharma confirmed during the post-match press conference that he will also be quitting the shortest format.
Rohit and Kohli's retirement from the T20I format was not entirely unexpected. Neither player had appeared in any T20Is after India's defeat in the 2022 T20 World Cup semi-final, and only resumed T20Is in January this year, with their focus on the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Kohli finished his 125-match T20I career as India's second-highest run-scorer in the format – 4,188 at an average of 48.69 and a strike rate of 137.04.
Meanwhile, Rohit exited the format as its highest scorer (4,231 runs in 159 matches) and also holds the record for most centuries (five) in T20 internationals. He won two World T20 titles: the inaugural one as a player in 2007 and now as captain in 2024.
