• Source:JND
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As Shikhar Dhawan announced his retirement on Sunday, it marked the end of an era for one of the country's most followed cricketers. At 38 years old, Dhawan's retirement was not much of a mystry, particularly as he hadn't donned the national colors since December 2022. The announcement inevitably led many to reminisce about his explosive debut in Mohali, his heroics in the 2013 Champions Trophy, and the iconic thigh slap and moustache twirl that earned him the nickname "Gabbar." As the nation bid farewell with moist eyes, they celebrated a career that had left an indelible mark on Indian cricket.

Yet, Dhawan's retirement also served as a poignant reminder of the inevitable passage of time. The realization dawned that the other two members of Indian cricket's celebrated batting trio — Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma — might also be approaching the twilight of their illustrious careers. Kohli, 35, and Rohit, 37, both recently stepped away from T20 internationals following India's triumphant World Cup campaign in the West Indies. The possibility that next year's Champions Trophy or the World Test Championship could be their final appearances on the ICC stage looms large.

Despite the speculation, former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar offers a more optimistic perspective. He believes that Kohli and Rohit, with their meticulous approach to workload management and the privilege they've earned to selectively participate in series, might extend their careers longer than many of their predecessors, including legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid.

"I think Rohit will continue to play as long as his body and fitness allows him to. Because a player of that quality – Sachin played till 40, even Rahul played till 40 – with better fitness standards, more professionals are looking after players. Like a lot of nutritionists also are helping," Bangar said on The Rao Podcast.

"The players' careers are going to get longer, and in that process, if it benefits the Indian team, nothing like it. Even with Virat, depends on his body. The last format that he would give up away will be Test cricket. So, I am sure that you will see Virat playing Test cricket for another five years."

Bangar also refused to believe that Rohit would have given up ODI cricket had India won the World Cup at home last year.

"Hard to say, but I think like in 2015, 2019 and 2023, all those three World Cups. They had a dream campaign, before we were outplayed by Australia in the final. They played out of their skins to chase down that score. I would have still believed that because he is leading the team, and he has tasted success now – India still wants to win the World Test Championship – there is something to look forward to. In today's time and age, the World Cup in happening every second year, or every year you have an ICC tournament. I don't think that would have been a factor. India winning the World Cup doesn't mean that Rohit is going to walk away," Bangar pointed out.