Ravichandran Ashwin shared his distress witnessing Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in tears post India’s 2023 World Cup final loss to Australia, expressing the team’s collective pain.
Following India’s flawless run in the 2023 World Cup, the team faced an unexpected loss to Australia in the final, despite a strong start. Ravichandran Ashwin, speaking on S Badrinath’s YouTube channel, revealed the emotional scene after the defeat, highlighting Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s distress.
Despite the defeat, Ashwin lauded the team’s professionalism, acknowledging the leadership synergy between Kohli and Rohit. He also credited Rohit’s remarkable empathy and personalized understanding of teammates marking his exceptional leadership qualities.
“Yes, we felt the pain. Rohit and Virat were crying. Seeing that it felt bad. Anyways, not meant to be. This team was an experienced team. Everybody knew what to do. And then, it was professional. Everybody knew their routines, warm-ups. I think two natural leaders gave the team the space to do these two ( Kohli and Rohit) and created a vibe,” said Ashwin.
“If you look at Indian cricket, everybody will tell you MS Dhoni is one of the best captains. Rohit Sharma is an outstanding person. He understands every single person in the team, he knows what each one of us likes and dislikes. He has a great understanding. He puts in the effort to know each member personally. He puts in a lot of effort. Forgoes sleep and becomes part of meetings, he first puts in the effort. He takes an effort to understand how to explain tactics to each person. That’s an advanced level of leadership in Indian cricket.” he added.
Ashwin further lauded Rohit’s pivotal role, amassing 597 runs in 11 innings at a remarkable average of 54.27 and a formidable strike rate exceeding 125.
“Telling everyone to play a brand of cricket is one thing, but doing it and showing it on the field is another thing. I have known Rohit for a long time. What he did at the top set the ball rolling. he gave us the confidence. He said ‘it’s okay if we get out for 150. At least we will set the tone, instill fear’. I think all 11 in the team had a great World Cup,” said Ashwin.
Rohit also emerged as the foremost ODI World Cup centurion, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar with seven centuries.
India’s quest for an ICC title faced another setback in their prolonged drought since the 2013 Champions Trophy victory. The anticipation grows over Rohit Sharma’s potential participation, now 40, in the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Presently, India leads the ongoing five-match T20I series against Australia 2-1, with the next match scheduled in Raipur on December 1.
Last Updated on November 30, 2023
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