New Delhi: The India cricket team arrived home on Thursday to a heroes’ welcome both in Delhi and Mumbai as the cities gave them a rousing reception in what will be a memory etched in their minds for a lifetime. After the glorious victory parade in an open bus at Mumbai’s Marine Drive, the team headed straight to the Wankhede Stadium to attend the felicitation ceremony, again in front of a jampacked crowd who had come to watch their heroes.
The ceremony brought addresses from two stalwarts of Indian cricket, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. After the former’s emotional yet proud speech was finished, departing head coach Rahul Dravid made his way to speak a few words and then arrived the show-stopper. Kohli made his way to the podium to convey his feelings about being the world champions and the reception that they have had since their arrival on the national land.
He also talked about his teammates, specially the skipper Rohit Sharma, remembering the moment that caught everyone’s eyes when India were crowned the world champions. Kohli said, “This is the first time in 15 years (of playing together) that I have seen Rohit show so much emotion. When I was walking up the steps (at Kensington Oval) I was crying, he was crying and we hugged. For me, that is going to be a very special memory from that day.”
Watch the full speech of Virat Kohli here –
Full interview of number 18, @imVkohli ❤ pic.twitter.com/Rtgtu92gv3
— Abhinav (@TotalKohli) July 4, 2024
Carrying the burden – a 22 and 35-year-old Kohli
Rewinding the clock back 13 years, a 22-year-old Kohli had said that it was only fair to carry the maestro Sachin Tendulkar on their shoulders after he carried the burden of Indian cricket for 21 years. Now at 35, as he stood on the same ground, he “hoped” that he and his skipper had done well enough to carry the burden for 15 years and bring the ‘Cup’ home.
“I hope we (Rohit and I) have carried the burden and no better to bring it (trophy) back here (Wankhede),” said Kohli, while also revealing that he knew during the innings break of the final that this was his last game.
“Halfway through the game I knew it was time to let the next generation take over,” said Kohli as he announced his retirement from the shortest format last week while being handed the Player of the Match award. In 2011, he was the youngest lad in the World Cup team, and seeing Sachin Tendulkar, Harbhajan Singh, and Yuvraj Singh teary-eyed and soaked in emotion never made him understand what it actually meant to them, but now he does.
“I couldn’t connect with the emotions of the senior players who cried that night but now I do,” said the Indian cricket team’s current senior.
Applauding Jasprit Bumrah
Before everything that has been mentioned above, Kohli straightway started his address by appreciating India’s pace maestro Jasprit Bumrah. The 35-year-old said that the pace spearhead brought India back into games “again and again” and quoted his final match heroics as well.
“Like everyone in the stadium (Wankhede), we also felt at one point if it is going to slip away again, but what happened in those (last) five overs was truly, truly special. I’d like everyone to applaud a guy who brought us back into games again and again and again in this tournament. What he did in those last five overs, bowling two out of the last five overs (in the final), it was phenomenal. A huge round of applause for Jasprit Bumrah, please,” Kohli said.
On a lighter note, when he was asked by the host, “I am thinking of signing a petition to declare Jasprit Bumrah as a national treasure. Will you sign it?” “I will sign it right now,” quickly came the reply from the legend.
“Bumrah is a once-in-a-generation player and so glad he plays for us,” Kohli said.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma were in tears after clinching the T20 World Cup 2024 and shared a warm hug in the dressing room. Kohli remembered the heartwarming moment during his speech at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
