Rohit Sharma’s family with Rahul Dravid© X (Twitter)

File image of Sunil Gavaskar.© X (Twitter)

India batter Ruturaj Gaikwad knows well that it will be “tough” and “hard” to replace retired Virat Kohli at number three spot in T20Is and said he is just focusing on making valuable contributions with the bat in whatever position the team leadership deems fit. The retirement of Kohli, skipper Rohit Sharma and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja from the shortest format following the T20 World Cup triumph has opened the doors for the upcoming players and Gaikwad is one such talented batter who has the potential to seal the No. 3 spot. “This is a big topic and I think it’s not the right point to think about it. To even compare with him (Kohli) or try to fill in his shoes is relatively very tough and very hard,” Gaikwad said on the eve of the third T20I against Zimbabwe.

“As I had said in the IPL as well, it is difficult to fill Mahi Bhai’s shoes as well. Definitely, you want to start your career, you want to start the way you want, you want to play your own game. So that’s the priority right now.”

“Focus on one game, focus on how you can contribute towards the team in whichever position you play and make sure you are on the winning side more often than not.”

Gaikwad has batted at No. 3 position for India in the first two T20Is against Zimbabwe but the Pune-born cricketer said he has no preference and will bat wherever the team requires him.

“No, wherever the team wants, I will bat there. There is no problem. There is not much difference between the opening and the number 3 because you have to play the new ball. So there is not much difference,” he said.

Gaikwad led the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL this year and he said captaincy has made him to get more involved in the game though it didn’t make any difference to his batting.

“Actually, to be honest, nothing has changed much. Because my batting has been the same as before. I have to play with responsibility and try and finish it on my own,” he said.

“It’s just that the way you look at the game, I think every time you are more involved now in the game since you have captained the IPL franchise for a long period of time.

“So you tend to be into the game for a longer period of time instead of just staying in the boundary outside and just focusing on one ball. As I said, batting wise it’s not made much difference.”

Young opener Abhishek Sharma had spoken about how Gaikwad helped him in “keeping perspective” as he went hammer and tongs to blast a match-winning 47-ball 100 in the second T20I.

“Actually, communication is not from a senior player,” Gaikwad said.

“It comes from a batting partner because obviously with non-strikers you feel something about a particular bowler or particular conditions and you have to have that confidence to go and share with your partner whatever you feel and what are the right options, what to do in certain situations.

“Definitely this is something which I have been doing it being part of all the teams whether state team, IPL team or Indian team as well…” 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi backed the Indian contingent to put their strength on display at the upcoming Paris Olympics. Over the years, India’s contingent for the Summer Games has steadily increased in number. At the Tokyo Olympics, India sent its largest contingent, consisting of 124 athletes and won seven medals. This was the biggest medal tally that India has managed to achieve in a single edition of the Summer Games. As of Sunday, 82 athletes had managed to qualify for the Paris edition, according to Olympics.com.

With more than two weeks left, India will be hoping that more players are able to make the cut for the Paris Olympics, which will kick off on July 26.

PM Modi backed the Indian contingent and believes that a “great team” is being sent for the upcoming edition of the Summer Games, which will showcase its strength.

“India is sending a great team to the Paris Olympics. You will see how the entire team and athletes will show their strength. This self-confidence of the youth is the real capital of India, and this youth power shows the biggest potential to take India to new heights in the 21st century,” PM Modi said while addressing the Indian community in Moscow.

PM Modi also commended the Indian players for the commitment and attitude that they showed in the T20 World Cup.

India dominated every team that they encountered en route to the final. India was tottering with South Africa, needing just 30 runs off 30 deliveries to take away the trophy.

With Heinrich Klaasen on the field, South Africa looked bound to walk away with the title and leave India with yet another heartbreak.

However, the Indian pace trio of Arshdeep Singh, Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah made the South African batters struggle for each run. South Africa succumbed to the pressure and sealed a 7-run win to end their 13-year-long ICC World Cup drought.

While praising the level of commitment that the players showed in the dire situation, PM Modi said, “You too must have celebrated the victory in the recent T20 World Cup. The real story of winning the World Cup is also the journey of victory. Today’s youth of India does not accept defeat till the last ball and the last moment. Victory belongs to those who are not ready to accept defeat.”

Earlier on Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi held an informal meeting at the Novo-Ogaryovo residence of the Russian president near Moscow.

The Russian Foreign Ministry shared a video on X showing a warm greeting between PM Modi and Vladimir Putin.

The clip, posted on Monday, shows the two leaders embracing each other as PM Modi arrives at the president’s residence, marking the start of their informal meeting.

PM Modi arrived in Moscow for an official visit on Monday, where he was received by Denis Manturov, the first Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, at the Vnukovo-II airport and was accorded a ceremonial welcome. The Indian community gave PM Modi a warm welcome at the hotel.

Ritika Sajdeh (left), Rohit Sharma (centre) and Rahul Dravid.© Instagram/@rohitsharma45

India spinner Kuldeep Yadav believes that the stalwart trio of Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja and Virat Kohli’s decision to retire from the T20I format is “personal,” and their absence will open a window of opportunity for the youngsters. The T20 World Cup final carried a mixed bag of emotions for the Indian fans. While there were tears of joy as India ended their ICC World Cup drought that lasted for 13 years, there were tears of sorrow as well with the three star players bidding adieu to the shortest format of cricket.

While announcing his retirement, Kohli said that it was time for him to pass the baton on to the younger generation.

Sharing similar views about giving an opportunity to the younger generation, Kuldeep told ANI, “It is their personal decision. They have achieved a lot for India. I hope that youngsters will get good opportunities. They announced their retirement after winning the T20 World Cup and there is no better achievement than that.”

India were stuck in a peculiar situation when the required run rate came down to six. South Africa needed 30 runs in the final five overs to walk away with the trophy.

However, the pace trio of Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya made the opposition batters sweat hard for each run.

Their efforts helped India end their 13-year-long T20 World Cup drought with a 7-run win in Barbados.

“It was a good approach. We were desperate to win the World Cup. We achieved what we wanted to,” Kuldeep added.

Recently, there have been rumours around Kuldeep’s marriage. The ‘Chinaman’ spinner remained tight-lipped about his future partner and said, “There is still time in that and hopefully you will get to know about it.”

On Thursday morning, the T20 World Cup-winning Indian team touched down in the national capital, Delhi, to a rousing welcome from fans eagerly waiting for a glimpse of their favourite heroes and the trophy.

Following their meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the players had an open bus victory parade in Mumbai, from Marine Drive to the iconic Wankhede Stadium.

The champion team was also felicitated with the prize money of Rs 125 crore by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) office-bearers.

Star batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma announced their shock retirements from the format after helping India win their second T20 World Cup last month in Barbados. During the post-match presentation-ceremony, Kohli insisted that the T20 World Cup final against South Africa will be his last for India in the format, adding that “it’s time for the next generation” to take over. A few hours later, India captain Rohit Sharma, during a press conference, decided to bid adieu to the format. Both, however, will continue to play for India in longer formats.

Now, a video of Kohli and Rohit sharing a hug after coming out to bat against South Africa in the final has gone viral. The moment went unnoticed during the final, but with the two now saying goodbye to the format, it is fair to say that it was sign that the two were going to retire after the final, even if the result didn’t went in India’s favour.

Watch the video here:

A slight hug between Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in their last T20I match

We failed to notice this

At that moment only them knew it’s their last walk together in T20i’s. pic.twitter.com/Em87yvHkSB

— Nibraz Ramzan (@nibraz88cricket) July 7, 2024

Shortly after announcing his T20I retirement, Rohit called the 2024 T20 World Cup win, which India won as an unbeaten team in the competition, as the greatest achievement of his playing career.

Rohit amassed 257 runs at a strike rate of 156.70, and took on the responsibility of giving India fast starts with the bat – with his fifties against Australia and England being crucial.

Kohli, on the other hand, scored just 75 runs before the final. However, he came good in the summit clash, scoring a crucial 76 which earned him the Man of the Match award.

Kohli hung his boot from the T20I format ending his T20I career as India’s second-highest run-scorer in the format, through 4188 runs in 125 games at an average of 48.69 and strike rate of 137.04.

He ended his international career in the format with the most runs of any player at Men’s T20 World Cups (1,292 runs) between 2012 and 2024, in 33 innings across 35 matches.

(With IANS Inputs)

Kuldeep Yadav has dedicated the team’s T20 World Cup triumph to Rohit Sharma.© X (Twitter)

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have sought a longish break from the BCCI.© X (Twitter)

Team India has been invited to celebrate its T20 World Cup triumph in Maldives.© BCCI