Gautam Gambhir reacts to Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli's T20I retirement amidst head coach speculations, says 'they are going to play two more...'

Frontrunner for India's head coach role, Gautam Gambhir wants Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to contribute in ODIs and Tests after retiring from T20Is.

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Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma after India's T20 World Cup 2024 win; Gautam Gambhir during an event (Getty Images)

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma after India's T20 World Cup 2024 win; Gautam Gambhir during an event (Getty Images)

Highlights:

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are first and second on the list of leading T20I run-scorers.

Rohit and Kohli retired from T20Is after India won the T20 World Cup 2024 final.

Former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir who is highly likely to be Rahul Dravid’s successor as India men's cricket team's head coach, congratulated Virat Kohli and skipper Rohit Sharma for retiring from T20Is in style with a T20 World Cup title win. Gambhir said that their T20I career came to a fitting end and a better could not have been written. 
 

“They have retired with the World Cup win, and probably better than any script that was written. Both players are great. They have done a lot for Indian cricket, and congratulate them and wish them all the best,” Gambhir told PTI videos.
 

However, Gambhir feels that the legendary duo has a lot to contribute in the other two formats of the game.
 

“But they are going to play two more formats – Test cricket and ODI cricket. I am sure they are going to keep contributing to the country and the team,” said the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) mentor.

 

ALSO READ: Hardik Pandya reacts to Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retiring from T20Is after T20 World Cup 2024 triumph, says ‘There is a lot of time for 2026’
 

Kohli, Rohit’s numbers 

Kohli was adjudged ‘Player of the match’ for 75-run knock in the final. He retired with most runs in T20 World Cups and second-most in T20Is. 
 

Rohit retired as the leading run-scorer in T20Is. He is also the second-highest run-scorer in T20 World Cups. Rohit also scored the most runs for India in T20 World Cups. 

 

ALSO READ: 'I've seen him for so many years, but even I don't know what exactly is with him': Rohit Sharma fails to explain Jasprit Bumrah's masterclass
 

Why Ashwin is not paying tribute to Kohli

Meanwhile, Ravichandran Ashwin recalled his favourite innings of Kohli. Ashwin also revealed why he is not paying tribute to his teammate. 
 

“Virat Kohli has played his last T20 game, and it has been a stellar career. The knocks I wanted to remember (of Kohli) are: the one against Australia in the quarterfinals (of the 2016 T20 WC) and against SA in the 2014 T20 WC semifinals. The man is actually a myth.
 

“Why I am not paying a big tribute to him because he has a long career ahead in two other formats. He has been playing well,” said Ashwin in his YouTube channel.
 

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