"Virat Kohli took over from Rohit Sharma in Under19s"- Sri Lanka legends

Legendary Sri Lankan players Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, and Thisara Perera have lauded Indian greats Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma for their successful T20I careers. Both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retired from the T20I format after the conclusion of the T20 World Cup 2024.

Both the stalwarts were India's openers throughout the tournament. Rohit, in particular, was more impressive throughout the tournament and finished as the second-highest run-scorer with 257 runs in eight matches at an average of 36.71 and a strike rate of 156.70.

On the other hand, Virat Kohli had a forgettable tournament in terms of run-scoring. Kohli scored just 151 runs in 8 matches of the tournament at an average of 18.87.

However, Kohli's brilliant 76 off 59 balls in the final against South Africa was crucial in India's title win. Just when his team needed him the most, he delivered. He was adjudged Player of the Match for his performance in the final.

Also read: Rohit Sharma set to return for Sri Lanka ODIs as Indian Skipper obeys Gautam Gambhir

Sri Lanka legends hail Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma for their illustrious T20I career

In a video uploaded by Star Sports on X (formerly Twitter), Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, and Thisara Perera lauded Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma for their brilliance throughout the years and wished them all the best for the future.

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"From Under-19s, I have played against Rohit (Sharma). I have seen what he is capable of. Obviously, Virat (Kohli) took over from Rohit in the Under-19s. Virat has been amazing for India for the past decade and a half. Both of them are just amazing players, modern-day greats, legends of the game and I wish them all the very best," Mathews said.

"I think it was the right time to retire" - Dinesh Chandimal

Dinesh Chandimal reckoned that both the players retired at a perfect time when India won the title. He felt that it was going to take some time to fill the shoes but India had enough talent to replace these two individuals.

"I think it was the right time to retire (from T20Is) after winning the World Cup. As a senior player, you wish to have that. So I think they made the right decision. It's going to take some time to fill their shoes because they have so much experience playing T20 cricket especially. India have so much young talent. So, I am sure they will take their hands up and do their performance," Chandimal said.

Meanwhile, Thisara Perera recalled his experience of playing with Rohit Sharma in the Mumbai Indians camp.

"I played with Rohit (Sharma) when I played in MI (Mumbai Indians). He is a really good guy. As a human being, he is really nice because he always shares his thoughts with local guys and even overseas players," Perera remembered.

While Thisara Perera has retired from international cricket, other senior players Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal are still playing. Mathews is playing all the formats while Chandimal has been preferred for Tests lately. All these Sri Lankan players are currently playing in the Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2024.