Representing India is not a joke: Rohit Sharma after Champions Trophy victory

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma shared a fun moment after India's Champions Trophy win, doing a "Dandiya" dance with the stumps. Head coach Gautam Gambhir, usually serious, was seen smiling as he hugged the players and walked around the field. After such a big win, their celebrations felt natural for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 win.  

But for Kohli, Rohit, and Gambhir, that moment was about more than joy. Over the past six months, they had faced heavy criticism for the team’s poor performances. While some of it was fair, a lot of it felt harsh. Now, with this win, they have a fresh start, more control over their future, and a clear direction for the team.

Rohit Sharma said that after India’s Champions Trophy win "Someone told me we’ve lost only one game in the last three ICC tournaments. That’s a huge achievement. It shows the quality, depth, and understanding in this team," he said after the victory on Sunday night.  

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He also spoke about the pressure Indian players face from the outside world. "If India loses even one game, there’s a lot of talk and speculation. But the boys did a great job of blocking all that out and focusing on winning and enjoying the game," he added. Rohit was criticized for getting out after scoring 30s and 40s in ODIs. But after playing a match-winning knock of 76 in the final against New Zealand.

"Playing for India is not easy. Everyone wants to do it with pride. In the 2019 World Cup, I scored a lot of runs, but we didn’t win, so it didn’t feel good. But even if you score 30 or 40 and help the team win, it gives you more happiness," he said. "For me, the important thing was to give the team a solid start so the other batters could play with confidence."

India faced full criticism on their way to winning the Champions Trophy, especially for choosing five spinners Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, and Ravindra Jadeja. But in the end, the decision worked perfectly, as the spinners played a big role in controlling runs and taking key wickets in Crucial times. The team management never doubted their plan, and studying past matches in Dubai, like the ILT20, helped them make smart choices and these plans helped to win the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.  "We knew the conditions would be tough, so we had to adjust. That’s why we went with more spinners instead of fast bowlers," Rohit explained. 

"You have to be ready for the straight ball, which comes at you almost 70-80% of the time. That’s the kind of adaptability these guys have shown," Gambhir said. "I’m really proud of them because India is a fantastic team, no doubt about it." And now, they have two international trophies to back it up.