Dubai International Stadium: After leading India to an unbeaten ICC Men’s Champions Trophy victory, captain Rohit Sharma opened up about the team’s journey, overcoming challenges, and his personal outlook on the future. Rohit shared insights into India’s approach, their ability to handle adversity, and the evolution of their mindset since past tournament heartbreaks. India’s Champions Trophy campaign was nothing short of remarkable. In the final, they defeated New Zealand by four wickets at the Dubai International Stadium.“We went undefeated despite losing all five tosses. Yet, we still won the trophy,” he said. “Winning a tournament without a single defeat is a massive achievement in itself, and it gives me immense satisfaction. Until we lifted the trophy, no one really thought about it. But after the victory, it hit us—we had gone through the entire tournament unbeaten. That realization made it even more special,” Rohit said on JioHotstar.
Rohit credited the team’s unity and clarity of roles for their success. “We have an incredibly solid team, and it’s a joy to play alongside such committed individuals. Everyone knows their role and responsibilities—what needs to be done and what must be avoided. Of course, emotions run high on the field. Sometimes, I get a bit carried away, but it’s all in the spirit of the game. The main goal is to win, and we are ready to do whatever it takes to achieve that.”
Preparation played a key role in ensuring India could adapt to conditions without Bumrah, he said. “After the Australia tour, we had about 20-25 days before the tournament. We closely monitored the ILT20 matches to study the pitches and playing conditions. We analyzed what kind of bowlers were needed for those surfaces and shaped our squad accordingly.”
Reflecting on India’s previous failures in ICC tournaments, Rohit pointed to a significant change in mindset that helped them finally cross the finish line.
“It was always unfortunate that we came so close to winning major tournaments but couldn’t get over the line. In the 2015 World Cup semi-final against Australia, we made mistakes we hadn’t made in the previous matches. The same thing happened in 2016, 2017, and even the 2023 World Cup final,” he admitted.
The turning point came when the team decided to prioritise collective success over individual milestones. “Before the 2023 World Cup, we had serious discussions about shifting our mindset. The focus was no longer on individual milestones—scoring a hundred or taking five wickets—because, in the end, if the team doesn’t win, those achievements don’t matter. I learned this the hard way in 2019. I scored five centuries, but what did it mean when we didn’t win the trophy?”
Rohit also addressed how he wanted other teams to perceive India moving forward. “I don’t want to dictate how other teams should see us. The only thing I want is for them never to take us lightly. Even if we are five wickets down, we have the ability to fight back and turn the game around. Until the last ball of the match is bowled, our opponents should always feel the pressure of playing against us,” he stated.
While speculation about Rohit Sharma’s long-term future with the Indian team continues, the captain made it clear that he isn’t thinking too far ahead.
Rohit also addressed how he wanted other teams to perceive India moving forward. “I don’t want to dictate how other teams should see us. The only thing I want is for them never to take us lightly. Even if we are five wickets down, we have the ability to fight back and turn the game around. Until the last ball of the match is bowled, our opponents should always feel the pressure of playing against us,” he stated.
Article Source: IANS
