Virat Kohli, who has announced his retirement from T20I cricket along with Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja, expressed some special words for Jasprit Bumrah for how the pacer extricated the Indian cricket team from difficult situations on several occasions during the T20 World Cup 2024. He agreed that Bumrah should be declared a “national treasure” for the way he saved the team from difficult situations during the World Cup. Bumrah was declared the Player of the Tournament for his heroics and received a special round of applause from the crowd as Kohli urged them on.

“At one time I also felt that ‘man is it going to slip away again’. But what happened in those five overs, two of which were bowled by Jasprit Bumrah was truly, truly special. What I would like everyone is to applaud a guy who brought us back into games, again and again in this tournament,” said Kohli.

“We want him to continue playing for India as long as he can. I’ll sign the petition for Jasprit Bumrah to be the eighth wonder of the world right now. He is a once-in-a-generation bowler,” he added.

Bumrah on his part said that having his toddler son along with him at the Kensington Oval made it special for him, laughing off suggestions that he may have to encounter a petition signed by a billion people urging him not to quit the game.

While there were numerous moments for the fans to score in their memory for eternity, three would find a place in everyone’s favourite moments of the evening.

Top-most of those cherished moments will be when Rohit Sharma walked hand-in-hand with Virat Kohli to the crowd near the stands as if saying thanks on their behalf as they retire from the game’s shortest format.

The second moment that will stay forever in people’s minds will be Hardik Pandya getting cheered vociferously at the same ground where Mumbaikars booed him as captain of Mumbai Indians. And then there was the iconic moment of all the players dancing together as they went on a lap of honour around the stadium, reminding people of the similar scenes at the same venue in 2011 when Kohli was among those who lifted Sachin Tendulkar on their shoulder around the ground.

On Thursday, there were no such scenes even though the two oldest members of the team and the most loved ones were retiring from this format of the game. However, there was no doubt in the minds of the gathered about the yeomen service both of them have rendered to the country.

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