Virender Sehwag and Virat Kohli.
Virender Sehwag and Virat Kohli.

Virat Kohli received huge praise from Virender Sehwag after the star batter called time on his T20I career post the T20 World Cup 2024. Virat Kohli was named the Player of the Final as India defeated South Africa in the summit clash by 7 runs in Barbados on June 29.

Virat Kohli, along with captain Rohit Sharma, announced their retirements from the T20I cricket as they wanted the next generation to take over the rein. Virat Kohli retired as the second-highest run-getter in T20Is just behind Rohit Sharma who scored 4231 runs in 159 games.

“This was my last T20 World Cup and this is exactly what we wanted to achieve. This is an amazing game. I was telling Rohit (Sharma) when we went out to bat, I was like, one day you feel like you can’t get a run and then you come out and then things happen. God is great.

I bow my head in gratitude. I’m just really grateful I was able to get the job done for the team on the day that it mattered the most. It’s time for the next generation to take over. It’s a two-year cycle (for next T20 WC), there’re some amazing players playing in India. They’re going to take the team forward in the T20 format and do wonders as we’ve seen them do in the IPL.

I have no doubts that they’ll keep the flag waving high and really take this team further from here now,” he said during a post-match presentation.

In 125 T20I matches, Kohli scored 4188 runs at an average of 48.69 with 122 being his highest score. That was his only T20 century – coming against Afghanistan in September 2022.

Hats off to Virat Kohli: Virender Sehwag

Former India batter Virender Sehwag paid rich tribute to Virat Kohli while speaking on the Cricbuzz show. This was after host Gaurav Kapur confirmed that Virat Kohli had retired from the T20I format as a whole and not just from T20 World Cups.

“So today’s news is this, an updated news from Virat Kohli, that this is not his last World Cup, but his last T20 International match. And he says, this was my last T20 World Cup, so I gave you half the news. And this is what we wanted to do. One day you think you can’t make even one run, then things happen. God is great. I worked hard for my team. The day that was important was the final. He said, this is my last T20 for India and I wanted to maximize it, make the most of it. We wanted to lift the trophy and respect the situation, we didn’t want to force it. It is an open secret that it is time for the next generation to take over.

Now the young generation will take this team forward. There are some very good players who are visible, young players and they will keep waving this flag. This is what Virat Kohli said,” Kapur said on Cricbuzz.

Virender Sehwag said that there could be no better time for Virat Kohli to retire from T20Is as he won the Player of the Match in the final of the World Cup. He added that India might not witness another player like him.

“But what could be better than this? I mean, you made a run, your team won the World Finals, and you are getting happy greetings. Hats off to Virat Kohli. He might not be a player like him again. Absolutely. What a player he is. And how well he has represented India till the last moment, i.e. till the last game, he has shown his fitness, his commitment. And today, in the final, we will take the Man of the Match,” Virender Sehwag.

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