Win Projections to be updated soon
Rohit Sharma regarded winning the T20 World Cup as the pinnacle of his career, if only because it was the result of his intense desire to win a world title. At the post-match press conference, Rohit declared, “I can honestly say that this has to be the greatest time ever.” “The only reason is how much I wanted to win this. Therefore, I believe that all of the runs I have scored over the years matter, even though I’m not very interested in statistics or anything like that.
I suppose the thing I always look forward to is winning games and trophies for India. And having this one right now next to me must be—I’m not sure if it’s the best or anything, but it’s unquestionably among the best, I can say that.”
When asked to characterise his frame of mind as he collapsed onto the ground to celebrate his victory, Rohit brought up the desperation once more. He declared, “I really wanted this.” It’s difficult for me to describe since, although I won’t reveal what was going through my thoughts at the time, it was a highly emotional moment for me.
“I will always remember that, even if I wish I could genuinely freeze that moment in time. Yes, those are the times you look forward to. You don’t plan these things; they just happen when you’re really in need of certain things in life, like I was with this. I’m so glad we finally went over the queue this time.”
The trophy was brought to the news conference by Rohit Sharma.
Ever since he won his first World Cup back in 2007, he has come very close to winning several more. After narrowly missing out on selection in 2011, he went on to play a significant role in India’s five World Cup knockout runs. He was the most devastated after the final loss, which came at the end of a home winning streak.
With no clear transition plan in place, Rohit Sharma and coach Rahul Dravid decided to try again. Dravid was highly praised by Rohit Sharma. “More than any one of us, I think he deserved that trophy,” Rohit Sharma stated. “I believe that his accomplishments over the last 20 to 25 years for Indian cricket were the only things lacking from his cabinet. On behalf of the entire team, let me say how thrilled we are that we were able to assist him. You could see his excitement and pride.
“When he played, he made a huge contribution to Indian cricket. He has put in a lot of work with this club over the past three years. It is not always easy for the lads to click with him, therefore he has often had to repress his instincts. Rahul Dravid bhai then choked down his emotions. He discovered the guys’ desires. That was his top priority. That was done for the entire team by Rahul Dravid bhai. He made an effort to learn what the guys required and what they desired. Rahul bhai can’t go out and bat because finally we have to finish the job.
“He has clarified the guys’ roles for the past three years. He has maintained contact with the lads who are not on the team, asking them to update him on team news, when they can return, and what their responsibilities will be upon return. Rahul Dravid is a diligent individual. When he arrived, he was the first to handle this: we need to let the lads know what is expected of them.”
Prior to the match, Rohit Sharma made some insinuations about a disagreement among the brains trust, but he decided that as captain, he had to bat first. Of his six IPL titles, he has won four by batting first. “I’m a believer of just having runs on the board in big games,” he stated. It is the way my thinking functions. Not every member of the team has to have that mindset.
“However, I have to make a decision, and I have stated unequivocally that we must attempt to score runs and then battle it out, regardless of the pitch. I’ve seen what the guys have done with the ball, and you have talent when it comes to bowling. I therefore felt confident that we could attempt to defend our score, whatever it may be.
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“I understand that the outcome was favourable to us, but even in the event that it wasn’t, I would have wholeheartedly supported the choice to bat first. The pitch was excellent for the entire 40 overs, even though I didn’t think it was played very well. It didn’t grab as much as we had hoped after the first half because of the intense sun, the lack of grass on the surface and the overall dry appearance. To make it nice and hard, though, a lot of rolling and water must have been used. However, it was the intention, and we made that decision with great clarity, knowing that our goal is to score runs now and attempt to defend them later.”
Even though there were many players who helped the team win in the end, Rohit saved particular recognition for Jasprit Bumrah, who was named Player of the Tournament. “I don’t know how much I can talk about Bumrah,” he replied. “This is obviously something we’ve been witnessing with him for a very long time. Every time he holds a ball, he consistently works magic for us. Having athletes like these in my squad is a great blessing. Participants that represent Team India and me in the game. Extremely appreciative.”
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