The trio has been integral to Indian cricket for many years. Vaughan pointed out their underwhelming record in recent ICC tournaments despite their significance in the team.
“They’ll all agree that it is a perfect way to go, but they should have won more white-ball trophies amongst them,” Vaughan said on the Club Prairie Fire podcast. “To think that he (Rohit) has taken another seventeen years to get another one in his hand, I think he will be the first one to admit that they should have won one or two more.”
Kohli was the first to announce his retirement after receiving the Player of the Match award in the World Cup final. Rohit revealed his decision during the post-match press conference an hour later. The duo ended their T20I careers as the top two run-scorers in the format, with Rohit accumulating 4,231 runs and Kohli 4,188 runs. Jadeja joined them in retirement the following day.
Despite his criticism, Vaughan acknowledged that the trio retired at an opportune time, allowing them to focus on other formats and the Indian Premier League.
“What a way to go out with a win in Barbados and a trophy in your hand. Now they can sit back and play Test cricket, a bit of one-day cricket, and in the IPL like MS Dhoni, play on forever. In Indian cricket, they will be replaced as there’s plenty of talent in that team,” Vaughan added.
Kohli, Rohit, and Jadeja’s departure from T20Is marks the end of an era for Indian cricket. Their contributions, both individually and collectively, have left an indelible mark on the sport. As they transition to focus on Test and ODI formats, as well as the IPL, their legacy will inspire the next generation of Indian cricketers.