NEW DELHI: Former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir praised Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma for their significant contributions to Indian cricket. Their T20I careers concluded on a high note with a World Cup victory, marking a poetic end to their time in the shortest format. Despite retiring from T20Is, Gambhir is optimistic about their roles in Test and ODI cricket moving forward.

“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 I congratulate them and wish them all the best,” Gambhir told PTI.



Gambhir emphasized that both Kohli and Sharma will continue to impact Indian cricket in both Test and ODI formats. “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,” he added.

Veteran off-spinner R Ashwin also reflected on Kohli’s remarkable T20I career, reminiscing about some unforgettable innings.



“Virat Kohli has played his last T20 game, and it has been a stellar career. The knocks I wanted to remember 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,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

Former India pacer-turned-commentator Atul Wassan acknowledged the timing of Kohli and Sharma’s retirements and underlined the importance of developing the next generation of players.

“The team needs to focus on preparing for the next World Cup. They may be great players, but if they linger, it won’t benefit the team. We need to pave the way for youngsters and groom them for the upcoming World Cup,” Wassan told PTI.

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Wassan further elaborated on how this move benefits the team. “I knew he (Virat Kohli) was going to retire. Age is catching up. We’ll see them playing Test cricket and ODIs. T20 requires specialists. I believe it’s time for India to move forward from here. Once we’ve won the cup, it’s best to progress further,” he added.