EXCLUSIVE - Suryakumar reveals dressing room's attempt to convince Virat, Rohit not retire and play T20 World Cup 2026, says 'after 2 years...'

The T20I retirement announcement from legendary players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will be the only bittersweet memory from India's historic T20 World Cup 2024 triumph. Everyone was happy to see the team ending their 11-year-long trophy drought but were taken aback after the star duo made it clear that they won't be playing the shortest format of the game anymore for Team India. After the match, Suryakumar Yadav revealed how the dressing room reacted to this news and tried to convince them to play another edition of this mega tournament.

Suryakumar Yadav's reaction to Virat and Rohit's T20I retirement

Suryakumar Yadav revealed that the team tried to convince both Rohit and Virat to not talk about their T20I retirement and to stick by for another T20 World Cup as it is only two years away and will be held in India itself. However, both players had already made up their minds.

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“I think it is very difficult to leave the game at such moments. But it is a big thing. It is good that they are leaving this format at such a high. Although when they were in the dressing room, we were saying the same thing, that we still have 1.5 years, after 2 years the World Cup is in India only. Everyone was standing around saying that don't talk about this, we'll see next year. But they both had made up their minds. It was already made up and I think no better moment,” said Suryakumar Yadav in an exclusive conversation with Sports Tak.

End of an Era

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma calling off their International careers in the shortest format of the game at the highest of highs would be a memory that might forever be imprinted on everyone's heart and mind. This was a moment that was an open secret but no one wanted to see. It is easy to say that it is the end of an era as two of the very greatest in the history of cricket decided to pass the baton to the next generation after leading the team to the very top. Both Virat and Rohit are once-in-a-lifetime talents and there will never be a second Virat or Rohit. Both of them called off their T20I careers as the highest run-scorers of this format.

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