Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma — A look at key statistics from Indian duo's T20I careers as they retire from shortest format

It was end of an era on Saturday as Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, two of India’s senior most cricketers, announced their retirement from T20 internationals following the Men in Blue’s T20 World Cup triumph in the West Indies. Kohli, who scored 76 in the T20 World Cup final against South Africa, added yet another feather to his cap with the title victory, whereas for Rohit, who was also part of the 2007 India squad that won the title, life came full circle in the shortest format for the country.

Over the years, Kohli and Rohit made up two of the most formidable batters India have produced in T20Is, but with both of them having retired, it’s time for the newer generation of cricketers to step up.

Kohli and Rohit have broken numerous records while representing India in the shortest format. Let’s now take a quick look at some of those records as far as both the players are concerned.

Virat Kohli

—Virat Kohli finishes his T20I career having scored 4188 runs from 125 matches at an average of 48.69 and a strike-rate of 137.04. Kohli is in second place in terms of players with most runs in T20Is, with Rohit Sharma leading the charts with 4231 runs from 159 matches.

—Virat Kohli’s strike-rate of 48.69 is the second-highest in T20Is, behind Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan’s 48.72.

—His tally of 1292 runs in T20 World Cups is the highest by any batter in the history of the tournament. Rohit Sharma is behind Kohli in this list with 1220 runs in T20 World Cup history.

—Virat Kohli holds the record for most Player of the Match awards in T20 World Cups. Kohli has won the POTM award eight times, which is three more than Chris Gayle, Mahela Jayawardene, Adam Zampa and Shane Watson (With five POTM awards each).

—Virat Kohli remains the only player to have won the Player of the Tournament award twice in T20 World Cup history. The 35 year-old has won the award in 2014 and 2016.

—Virat Kohli has played 52 T20Is where India have batted second, and India have chased down totals in 42 of these matches. Kohli has remained not out in run chases on 18 different occasions and India have won each of those matches.

Rohit Sharma

—Rohit Sharma has played 159 T20Is for India. That’s the most by any player in T20 internationals. Ireland’s Paul Stirling (145) and George Dockrell (139) are in second and third place in the same list. Bangladesh’s Mahmudullah (138) and Mohammad Nabi (129) of Afghanistan complete the top five.

—Rohit Sharma holds the record for the player with most wins in T20Is. He has 111 wins to his name in T20Is, ahead of former Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik with 87 wins.

—Rohit Sharma has slammed 205 sixes in T20Is. That’s the most by any player in the shortest format of international cricket. Rohit is ahead of New Zealand’s Martin Guptill, who has hit 173 sixes.

—Rohit Sharma holds the record of most matches played in men’s T20 World Cups. He has played 47 matches in T20 World Cups, ahead of Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan (43).

—Rohit Sharma added another feather to his cap o Saturday, becoming the only Indian to have won the T20 World Cup twice. Rohit was also part of India’s T20 World Cup triumph in 2007.

—Rohit Sharma became the oldest captain to lift the T20 World Cup trophy. Rohit won the trophy at 37 years and 60 days. He surpassed Aaron Finch who was 34 years 362 days when Australia won the 2021 title.