New Delhi: As fans and the cricket ecosystem in India continued to revel in the joy of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 victory, they also came to terms with Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja announcing their retirements from the format on a high.
Shortly after India edged South Africa by seven runs to clinch its second T20 World Cup title at the Kensington Oval in Barbados and ended a 13-year drought for a global championship title, Kohli and Rohit bowed out from the format, with Jadeja following the same route.
Both Rohit and Virat had been the fulcrum of the Indian batting line-up for more than a decade while Jadeja was the dependable spin-bowling all-rounder.
The trio’s quick retirements give India the room to try out players and see who the best picks for a solid combination for the 2026 T20 World Cup are, which they are supposed to co-host alongside Sri Lanka.
(Photo courtesy: X@T20WorldCup)
Successor of Dravid to be announced soon: BCCIBridgetown: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary, Jay Shah announced the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) has shortlisted two names for the men's team head coach role. The final decision is expected to be made soon, marking the end of Rahul Dravid's tenure as head coach. The Indian cricket team is set to welcome a new head coach for the upcoming limited-overs series in Sri Lanka, commencing later this month as former opener Gautam Gambhir and former India women's coach W.V. Raman are in contention for the prestigious role. Shah confirmed that the new coach would take charge from the Sri Lanka series beginning on July 27. He also mentioned that VVS Laxman would be coaching the team for the Zimbabwe tour starting July 6, but the new head coach would join from the Sri Lanka series. |
But the riches of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and a robust domestic system mean India do have a good pool of T20 players to see who can fill in the huge shoes of Rohit, Virat, and Jadeja. Yashasvi Jaiswal, who was a part of the World Cup-winning unit at Barbados, Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Abhishek Sharma are the next in line opening options.
All four players are a part of India’s squad for the five-match T20I tour of Zimbabwe happening from July 6-14. India also has a T20I series against Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, South Africa, and England till February 2025, which gives the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee ample room to try out various combinations and other players in the fray.
In all probability, Jadeja’s retirement from T20Is means Axar Patel becomes the lead spin-bowling all-rounder in the side.
Rs 125 crore BCCI prize money for Men in BlueNew Delhi: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary, Jay Shah has announced the cash reward of Rs 125 crore for the Rohit Sharma-led side, following their T20 World Cup 2024 triumph. “I am pleased to announce prize money of INR 125 Crores for Team India for winning the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. The team has showcased exceptional talent, determination, and sportsmanship throughout the tournament. Congratulations to all the players, coaches, and support staff for this outstanding achievement,” read the tweet on X. Under the exceptional leadership of Rohit Sharma, this team has shown remarkable resolve and resilience, becoming the first team in the history of the ICC T20 World Cup to win the tournament unbeaten, read the statement by Jay Shah. The win against South Africa was the redemption for India as the entire country celebrated the momentous occasion in style. |
