Raipur
Win Projections to be updated soon
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.
Rohit reiterated his desperation when describing his emotional state as he celebrated the win. “I wanted this badly,” he said. “It’s very hard to put it in words because that moment, I don’t want to say what I was thinking and what was going in my mind, but it was a very emotional moment personally for me.
“I wish I could capture that moment myself but not really, you can’t do that but I will always remember that. Yeah, those are the moments you wait for and then you don’t plan these things, it just happens because you’re so desperate for certain things in life and I was very desperate for this in my life. So happy that we eventually crossed the line this time.”
Rohit proudly displayed the trophy at the press conference. He has come close to winning a World Cup multiple times since his first victory in 2007. Following a heartbreaking defeat in the last World Cup, Rohit and coach Rahul Dravid decided to make another attempt at winning the championship. Rohit expressed his gratitude towards Dravid for his dedication and hard work towards the team.
“He’s done so much for Indian cricket when he played. Over the last three years, he has worked hard with this team. He has had to suppress his instincts on many an occasion because it is not that easy for the boys to match his wavelength. So Rahul bhai suppressed himself. He learnt what the boys wanted. He prioritised that. Rahul bhai did that for the whole team. He tried to understand what the boys wanted, and what is needed to be given to the boys. Because eventually we have to do the job, Rahul bhai can’t go and bat.
“For three years he has provided the boys role clarity. The boys who are not with the team, he has stayed in touch with them: keep telling him what is up with the team, when they can come ack, what their role will be when they come back. Rahul is a studious person. He was the first one to take care of this when he came: we have to tell the boys what we want from them.”
Rohit hinted at some disagreements within the coaching staff before the final, but as captain, he insisted on batting first. He has a successful track record of winning IPL titles while batting first. He expressed his belief in setting a target in crucial matches and having confidence in the bowling team to defend it.
While Rohit acknowledged the contributions of many players in the final, he particularly praised Jasprit Bumrah, the Player of the Tournament, for his consistent performances and match-winning abilities. He expressed gratitude for having players like Bumrah in his squad.
