Rohit Sharma Announces Retirement from ODI Format After Champions Trophy Victory

DUBAI (The Uttam Hindu): The 2025 Champions Trophy could prove to be the end of an era for the Indian white-ball team, with uncertainty looming over the future of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja. The trio bid farewell to their illustrious T20 careers after the victory against South Africa in the final of the T20 World Cup in 2024. Fans were wondering if the first innings against New Zealand in the final was the last time Jadeja's wizardry was seen, when Kohli ran to hug the all-rounder after he had completed bowling ten overs.

Indian team captain Rohit Sharma has put a full stop to all the speculations that he would say goodbye to ODI international cricket after the Champions Trophy 2025 final. Rohit Sharma on Sunday dismissed the news of his retirement after winning the Champions Trophy and said that he is not going to say goodbye to ODI cricket yet. He said in the press conference after the four-wicket win over New Zealand in the final, "I am not retiring from the ODI format. Please do not spread rumors." When asked about future plans, he said, "There is no future plan. What is happening will go on." From this it can be said that Rohit Sharma wants to play Test and ODI international cricket for the country in future as well. He has retired from T20 International cricket after the T20 World Cup 2024.

Many recalled the time when Ravichandran Ashwin, one of Jadeja's main partners, announced his retirement during the 2024-25 Border Gavaskar Trophy and had an emotional moment with Kohli in the dressing room. Tom Latham was Jadeja's only wicket while India's spin quartet picked up five of the Kiwis' seven wickets while the team scored 251/7 in the first innings. Jadeja made his ODI debut against Sri Lanka in Colombo in 2009 and has represented the country in 203 matches in the format, taking 230 wickets and scoring 8,150 runs with the bat. Kohli, on the other hand, has earned his reputation as India's 'chessmaster' in the ODI format, having been the key to India's batting lineup on several occasions. The 36-year-old Kohli made his debut in the format in 2008 against Sri Lanka in Dambulla. He is currently the third-highest run-scorer in the format behind Kumar Sangakkara (14234) and Sachin Tendulkar (18426). Out of his 14,180 runs, 8,063 came in the second innings while chasing targets. However, India's vice-captain Shubman Gill had dismissed rumours of Rohit and Kohli's retirement in the pre-match conference ahead of the final.