Suresh Raina makes big request to BCCI regarding Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli
India became the third team after England and West Indies to win T20 World Cup twice
Former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina made a big request to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regarding Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli after India claimed the T20 World Cup 2024.
India defeated South Africa by seven runs in one of the most thrilling finals of all time in Bridgetown and lifted the elusive title, becoming just the third team after West Indies and England to win T20 World Cup three times.
BCCI had retired no. 7 and 10 for MS Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar respectively and Raina wants the same to be done for Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli as they are the legends of the game and marked an era in Indian cricket.
“I request the BCCI to retire jerseys No.18 and No.45. They need to have a special occasion where they keep these jersey numbers in their office. The number 7 is already retired, they should do the same for 18 and 45,” Raina told JioCinema.
“Every person who sees the number should get motivated. The numbers 18 and 45 have won India games from so many situations that whichever player comes into the team, they should feel motivated by just looking at these numbers.”
After India’s T20 World Cup win, Kohli announced his retirement immediately during a post-match ceremony saying that it is time for the next generation to take over. On the other hand, Rohit Sharma confirmed during a post-match press conference that he, too, is quitting the shorter format.
Rohit and Kohli's retirement from the T20I format was not entirely unexpected. Neither player had featured in any T20Is following India's semi-final defeat in the 2022 T20 World Cup, and they only resumed playing T20Is in January this year, with their focus on the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Kohli ended his 125-match T20I career as India's second-highest run-scorer in the format — 4,188 at an average of 48.69 and strike rate of 137.04.
Meanwhile, Rohit departed from the format as its highest scorer — 4,231 runs in 159 matches — and also holds the record for the most centuries (five) in T20 internationals. He won two T20 World Cup titles: the inaugural one as a player in 2007 and now as captain in 2024.
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