NEW DELHI: Former England captain Michael Vaughan has taken a subtle jab at Indian cricket icons Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravindra Jadeja, pointing out their limited success in winning white-ball trophies. This comes after the trio announced their retirement from T20 Internationals following India’s 2024 T20 World Cup victory, their only ICC trophy in the past decade.
Vaughan’s Critical Perspective
Vaughan noted that despite their crucial roles in the Indian team, Kohli, Rohit, and Jadeja have not secured more white-ball trophies. “They’ll all agree that it’s a perfect way to go out, but they should have won more white-ball trophies amongst them,” Vaughan remarked on the Club Prairie Fire podcast. “To think that it took Rohit another seventeen years to get another one in his hand, he will be the first to admit that they should have won one or two more.”
Retirement Announcements and Records
Kohli was the first to announce his retirement, doing so after being named Player of the Match in the World Cup final. Rohit followed with his decision during the post-match press conference, while Jadeja announced his retirement the next day. Kohli and Rohit ended their T20I careers as the top two run-scorers in the format, with 4,231 and 4,188 runs, respectively.
Moving Forward
Vaughan acknowledged that the timing of their retirement allows the trio to focus on other formats and the Indian Premier League. “What a way to go out with a win in Barbados and a trophy in your hand. Now they can sit back and play Test cricket, a bit of one-day cricket, and in the IPL like MS Dhoni, play on forever. In Indian cricket, they will be replaced as there’s plenty of talent in that team,” Vaughan added.
End of an Era
The retirement of Kohli, Rohit, and Jadeja from T20Is marks the end of an era for Indian cricket. Their individual and collective contributions have significantly impacted the sport. As they shift their focus to Test and ODI formats, as well as the IPL, their legacy will continue to inspire the next generation of Indian cricketers.