Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli shared a close bear hug just after India’s thrilling victory over South Africa in the Barbados World T20 final, and shortly after head coach Rahul Dravid was gleefully flipped in the air.
When the veterans allowed their feelings get the better of them and let their guard down, it was an emotional moment. The footage of Sharma and Kohli giving a bear hug went viral.
It is rare in Indian cricket history for batsmen with such disparate approaches to rule the global scene.
Sharma’s slow, lazy style and Kohli’s energy and consistent attention are quite different.
Collectively, they provided the weight and ferocity that India’s all-format batting sorely lacked over the previous ten years.
Sharma and Kohli announced their retirements from the Twenty20 International format after India became the first side to go through the 20-team World T20 in the United States and the Caribbean without losing.
“I never imagined giving up on the Twenty20 league. However, the circumstances are such that I felt this was the ideal scenario for me. At the news conference following the game, Sharma, 37, stated, “There’s nothing better than winning the Cup and saying goodbye.”
A year younger than his captain of Team India, Kohli was more direct.
“This was my final T20 World Cup, and we achieved exactly what we set out to do,” Kohli said to the television after India ended an 11-year wait for an ICC championship. Fans were not overly startled by their choices. Many sort of saw it coming. After the Australia 2022 World T20, Sharma and Kohli had barely played in Twenty20 Internationals.
A day after winning the coveted title, veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja also revealed on Sunday that he was quitting T20Is, joining fellow players Kohli and Sharma in saying goodbye to the game.
Now that they have the ICC title in their possession, the three guys have handed the torch to the following generation.
Superstars from an entire generation of Indians appear to be abandoning the Twenty20 format.
Other formats such as Tests, ODIs, and the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL) would still be accessible for them.
The trio, in the opinion of former Indian batter and member of the winning 1983 World Cup team, Dilip Vengsarkar, feels they still have a lot to offer Indian cricket.
The way I see it is this. Young and aspiring players would only benefit from their presence in any dressing room, whether it be an IPL or an international match. Due to their expertise and intriguing insights, Vengsarkar told Business Standard.
Moving forward, Jadeja, Sharma, and Kohli might be following in the footsteps of their legendary senior, MS Dhoni. The skipper who won the World Cup in 2011 now only plays in the Indian Premier League.
In order to spend more time with his family, a former New Zealand pacer has also resigned from international cricket. Nonetheless, the lodestar cricket player declared that he will be fit to participate in the IPL. For cricketers, Dhoni and Boult have created a new avenue for revenue generation.
Only spend two months a year playing cricket; the rest of the time, stay in shape. They are leading the path that others should take. Only the IPL seems to draw cricket players, both novices and seasoned alike, with ODIs losing their allure and Test cricket only managing to attract a small audience.
Dhoni, 43, is still a draw for supporters even after all these years. According to brand strategists, the retirement of Sharma, Kohli, Jadeja, and Dhoni from Twenty20 Internationals won’t negatively impact their equity.
Their brand value won’t be diminished. They will actually have more time to dedicate to their individual companies as a result. They have grown into such well-known brands over time that advertisers are now lining up to create a narrative around them. Rupesh Kashyap is a brand creative director and cultural strategist located in Mumbai.
https://thenewzshorts.com/virat-kohli-markram-miller-chahal-view-images/