Forged by fire

Superstar Virat Kohli says lessons learned from tough defeats in past ICC knockout games have the paved the way for India’s second major title in less than 12 months.

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India won the T20 World Cup in June last year and lifted the Champions Trophy for the third time on Sunday.

It was a total team effort from Rohit Sharma’s men over the course of their campaign in the UAE.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve had a Champions Trophy, and the format is really good. This was our aim. After a tough tour of Australia, we came here and won a big tournament, which has once again boosted our confidence as a team,” Kohli said.

“Throughout the tournament, different players stepped up in different matches. There were moments in past tournaments where we weren’t able to finish games or capitalise on crucial situations. But this time, we learned from those experiences,” he said.

The experience of Rohit and KL Rahul got India over the line in the final against New Zealand.

“That’s why you back experienced players — they have faced these moments before. And when you apply those learnings and work hard you get a chance to turn things around,” Kohli said.

“The way KL (Rahul) finished in the last two matches is a testament to that experience. When you’ve been in those situations before and couldn’t cross the line, there’s always a desire to get another opportunity and overcome it. And that’s exactly what we did,” he added.

India were by far the best side in the tournament. They picked as many as five spinners and that worked well for them on the slow wickets of Dubai. In the playing eleven, India had four spin options.

“One thing we kept emphasising throughout the tournament was focusing on our skills — how good we are, not how good the opposition is. Despite all the challenges, this is why you play the game — for these big tournaments. Winning four ICC titles is truly a blessing, and I consider myself very lucky to have played for so long and achieved this,” said Kohli, who was also part of the victorious 2011 ODI World Cup squad and 2013 Champions Trophy teams.

Not looking too far ahead

Rohit is not retiring from ODI cricket anytime soon but he also doesn’t want to look too far ahead and commit to playing the 2027 World Cup, the only white-ball ICC silverware missing from his cabinet.

Rohit, who enthralled one and all with a match-winning 76 against New Zealand in the final, brushed aside speculations about his retirement and said one “shouldn’t spread rumours.”

However, the Indian skipper was non-committal on playing the next big ICC 50-over tournament in South Africa. “Right now, I am taking things as they come. It wouldn’t be fair for me to think too far ahead. At this moment, my focus is on playing well and maintaining the right mindset. I don’t want to draw any lines and say whether I will or won’t play in the 2027 World Cup. There’s no point in making such statements right now,” Rohit said.

“Realistically, I have always taken my career one step at a time. I don’t like thinking too far into the future. For now, I am enjoying my cricket and the time I spend with this team. I hope my teammates enjoy my presence as well. That’s all that matters at this point,” he said.

Talking about his legacy, Rohit said he has always wanted to build an Indian team that is never taken lightly by the opposition. “I don’t want to dictate how other teams should perceive us. The only thing I want is for them to never 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. Similarly, when we bowl, this team never gives up. That is the kind of legacy we want to create and leave behind,” he said.