India captain Rohit Sharma expressed pride in winning the Champions Trophy, emphasizing its significance despite his preference for the World Cup. India defeated New Zealand by four wickets to secure a third Champions Trophy title. Rohit contributed with a solid 76 runs, supported by teammates like Shreyas Iyer and Hardik Pandya. He acknowledged the effort it takes to win such tournaments, dedicating the victory to the nation. Former player Laxmi Ratan Shukla praised Rohit’s leadership and performance amid prior criticisms. Rohit becomes the second Indian captain, after MS Dhoni, to win multiple ICC titles, underscoring his noteworthy achievement.
India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, emphasized that while the 50-over World Cup is always his ultimate goal, securing the Champions Trophy on Sunday is a significant achievement. India triumphed over New Zealand by four wickets in the final, marking their remarkable third Champions Trophy title. In pursuit of 252 runs, Rohit made a crucial contribution with a score of 76, including seven fours and three sixes, establishing a solid platform for the chase. Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, Hardik Pandya, and KL Rahul also played vital roles with the bat to guide the team to victory in Dubai. Amid speculation regarding his retirement, Rohit delivered his best performance in the final.
This marked Rohit’s first score of over 30 in the tournament, as he had struggled to capitalize on good starts in the previous four matches.
“When any ICC tournament is in front of you, the goal is to win all of them. The One-Day World Cup holds a special place because it’s the only World Cup we’ve grown up following. We hadn’t experienced the World Test Championships or as many Champions Trophies. That’s why I previously mentioned what I did. However, this victory [in the Champions Trophy] is equally significant. Arre aap mujhse puucho kitna ‘WOH’ lagta hai jeetne ke liye. (Ask me how much effort it takes to win this),” Rohit remarked at the post-match press conference.
Rohit did not downplay the significance of India’s victory, dedicating the achievement to the entire country.
“A trophy is a trophy. Winning any final fills us with immense pride. Today, it’s not only me but the entire nation is experiencing great joy. Winning any event’s final is a monumental achievement. That’s what I want to emphasize,” he added.
After the finals, former Indian pacer Laxmi Ratan Shukla praised Rohit’s captaincy.
“It was a fantastic win. We had been discussing Rohit Sharma’s form not being up to par. I believed he was in good form, even though he was getting out early. He played thoughtfully yesterday and brought the trophy home for India. Virat Kohli’s early dismissal caused some imbalance in the team, but the Indian batters stepped up to secure the trophy,” Shukla shared with IANS on Monday.
ROHIT SHARMA MOMENT IN PRESS CONFERENCE
“Isme bhi koi kami nahi hai, Mujshe pucho
Kitna Woh lagta hai jeetne ke liye pic.twitter.com/1ywE6rXl8j
— Vikas Yadav (@VikasYadav66200) March 10, 2025
“All the criticisms following losses against New Zealand and Australia in Tests will fade away with this victory. Rohit Sharma excelled in captaincy and as a batsman. Virat Kohli bounced back well against Pakistan and Australia despite being in a slump, and overall it was an outstanding team performance,” he concluded.
Rohit becomes only the second Indian captain, after MS Dhoni, to win two or more ICC titles. Dhoni remains the lone captain to claim all three ICC white-ball championships.
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