There was a lot of talk before the Champions Trophy final that it might be the last time Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravindra Jadeja play a one-day match together. Rumors were going around that Rohit Sharma might talk about his future with chief selector Ajit Agarkar after the final. Meanwhile, India was getting ready to face their old rivals, New Zealand, in the big match in Dubai on Sunday.
Virat Kohli added to the buzz by sharing a warm and long hug with Ravindra Jadeja after the spinner finished his 10 overs. The two held on to each other for a few moments, making fans wonder if this might be Jadeja’s last ODI match.
After India’s semi-final win against Australia, fans were reminded of the heartfelt moment when Virat Kohli hugged Steve Smith during the post-match handshake. The two shared an emotional conversation, which touched many. The next morning, Smith announced his retirement from one-day international cricket, following Australia’s four-wicket loss to India.
A similar moment happened last year when Kohli was seen having an emotional conversation with off-spinner R Ashwin during the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Gabba in Brisbane. Just a few hours later, Ashwin surprised everyone by announcing his retirement from all formats of cricket, walking away in the middle of a major series.’
Virat Kohli hugged Ravindra Jadeja after Jadeja bowled his spell. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/gznlREq52U
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) March 9, 2025
Virat Kohli has never held back on the field and has always been passionate. Having been a captain himself, he takes pleasure in the triumphs of his mates, which was evident from the effusive celebrations of the wickets on Sunday in Dubai. Kohli, and Jadeja, have known each other long way back as they played together during age-group cricket. They had also been a part of the U19 World Cup winning team back in 2008.
Ravindra Jadeja bowled brilliantly in the Champions Trophy final, giving away just 30 runs in his 10 overs. He also took the important wicket of Tom Latham during the middle overs, which helped stop New Zealand from scoring freely.
Jadeja was outstanding on the field, guarding the boundary in the final overs. He prevented New Zealand from stealing extra runs at the end.
Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, and Rohit Sharma announced their retirement from T20I cricket just hours after India’s T20 World Cup win in June 2024.
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