Sports Desk, 30th June: Following the footsteps of Indian cricket stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja has announced his retirement from T20 International cricket. The announcement came after India’s thrilling seven-run victory over South Africa in the 2024 T20 World Cup final at Kensington Oval in Barbados.
Jadeja, the ace Indian all-rounder, shared the news via social media, posting a picture with the World Cup trophy in the dressing room. “With a heart full of gratitude, I bid farewell to T20 internationals. Like a steadfast horse galloping with pride, I’ve always given my best for my country and will continue to do so in other formats. Winning the T20 World Cup was a dream come true, a pinnacle of my T20 International career. Thank you for the memories, the cheers, and the unwavering support,” Jadeja’s post read.
Jadeja has been a key figure in Indian cricket since making his debut under MS Dhoni’s leadership. Despite a less impactful performance in the recently concluded tournament, his career statistics highlight his contributions. Since his debut against Sri Lanka in February 2009, Jadeja has scored 515 runs in 74 matches and taken 54 wickets in T20Is. His best batting performance came against England in 2022, where he scored 46 off 29 deliveries, leading India to a 49-run victory. His standout bowling performance was against Scotland in the 2021 T20 World Cup, with figures of 3/15 in Dubai.
Jadeja’s retirement marks the end of an era, as he was a pivotal part of six T20 World Cup campaigns, culminating in India’s second T20 World Cup win after 17 years.