Speculation was rife before the Champions Trophy final that Sunday’s title clash against New Zealand could be the last time Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravindra Jadeja played a one-day international together. Rumours suggested that Rohit Sharma would discuss his future with chief selector Ajit Agarkar after the final, even as India prepared to take on their familiar foes in the grand finale in Dubai.
Adding fuel to the fire, Virat Kohli shared a warm and prolonged hug with Ravindra Jadeja after the left-arm spinner completed his quota of 10 overs. The two players embraced for a few moments, sparking speculation among fans about whether this was Jadeja’s final appearance in one-day internationals.
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Fans were reminded of Kohli’s hug with Steve Smith after India’s semi-final against Australia. During the customary handshake, the two exchanged a visibly emotional conversation. The following morning, Smith announced his retirement from one-day international cricket, coinciding with Australia’s exit from the tournament after a four-wicket loss to India.
A similar moment occurred last year when Kohli was seen having an emotional chat with off-spinner R Ashwin during the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Gabba in Brisbane. Just hours later, Ashwin shocked many by announcing his retirement from all formats of the game, stepping away midway through a high-profile series.
Virat Kohli has always worn his heart on his sleeve, never hesitating to express his emotions on the field. As a former captain, he takes immense joy in his teammates’ success, which was evident in the way he passionately celebrated wickets on Sunday in Dubai. Notably, Kohli and Jadeja have played cricket together from the age-group level. The two players were teammates during the 2008 U19 World Cup triumph.
Ravindra Jadeja was at his best with the ball in the Champions Trophy final, bowling 10 overs and conceding just 30 runs. He took the crucial wicket of Tom Latham in the middle-overs, not letting New Zealand score freely in the middle overs.
Jadeja was electric on the field, manning the boundary during the end overs. He stopped New Zealand from pinching extra runs in the end overs.
Notably, Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja and Rohit Sharma retired from T20I cricket, announcing their decision hours after India’s T20 World Cup triumph in June 2024.
