'It's weird that Virat Kohli has left T20I format' - Suryakumar Yadav's no-nonsense take on batter's retirement

Virat Kohli might have retired from the T20I format after India's T20 World Cup 2024 win, but his legacy will always live on. Recently, Suryakumar Yadav hailed the legendary batter for his contribution to T20 cricket and his effect on the other players on the field.

Kohli didn't have a good season with the bat this tournament where he scored just 151 runs in 8 matches at an average of 18.87. But the veteran batter saved his best for the final where he scored a valuable 76 off 59 balls and helped India reach a competitive total.

After India won the trophy, Kohli announced his retirement from the T20I format and also mentioned that he would have retired irrespective of the result of the match.

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Suryakumar Yadav pays tribute to Virat Kohli after his retirement from T20Is

While speaking to RevSportz, Suryakumar Yadav revealed the moment in the dressing room when Virat Kohli announced his retirement. He also added that Kohli is one player who steps up when the team is under pressure.

"It seems so weird that such a big player like Virat Kohli has left a format. When I came to the room that day after winning the final, I was just thinking that we won't get to see him in this format once again. Whenever there is a pressure situation and the chips are down, he is the one who raises his hand and says, "I'll do it." I will always remember these moments." Suryakumar said.

"He is a powerhouse of energy" - Suryakumar Yadav about Virat Kohli

Talking about his presence on the field, Suryakumar Yadav stated that Virat Kohli is a powerhouse of energy. Even when he hasn't performed with the bat, he is always a live wire on the field.

"He is a powerhouse of energy on the field irrespective of his performance. Even when he hasn't scored runs, that doesn't reflect on his fielding and it seems like he wants to be everywhere on the field. He wants every ball to come his way and wants to catch every ball. He always shares his experience every over. It's really a big thing and we'll miss him in this format," the 33-year-old middle-order batter added.

Suryakumar Yadav himself had a good tournament as he scored 199 runs in 8 matches at an average of 28.42. He scored two half-centuries against Afghanistan and the USA, where the team was under pressure. Yadav also scored a valiant 47 in the semi-final against England and stitched a valuable partnership with Rohit Sharma.

Along with Virat Kohli, another veteran batter Rohit Sharma also announced his retirement from the T20I format. The Indian captain had a good season with the bat where he scored 257 runs in 8 matches at an average of 36.71 and a strike rate of 156.70. Rohit finished as the second-highest run-scorer of the tournament. A day later, senior allrounder Ravindra Jadeja became the third player to announce his retirement from T20Is in a span of two days.