New Delhi, Jul 5 (PTI) Captain Rohit Sharma revealed who suggested him to dance his way to the dais to collect the World Cup trophy, Jasprit Bumrah shared the disappointment of not getting his favourite ‘idli’ and ‘parantha’ while Suryakumar Yadav talked about his fielding drill during the team’s interaction with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the breakfast meeting.
The PM had hosted the T20 World Cup-winning players on Thursday.
“It was such a big moment for us. We had been waiting for this for so long. The players suggested just don’t walk up to the stage in a usual way and attempt something different,” Rohit said.
To which the PM asked whether the idea came from Yuzvendra Chahal, triggering a burst of laughter.
“It was idea of Chahal and Kuldeep (Yadav),” responded Rohit.
PM Modi later asked Kuldeep how he mustered the courage to ask his captain to do such a thing.
“But he (Rohit) did not do the way I told him to do,” was Kuldeep’s response amid another round of laughter.
Bumrah, the player of the tournament with 15 wickets, was asked if he went to the ground after having his favourite dish of idli.
“I didn’t get any idli or parantha in the West Indies. Jo mil rahe tha uss se kaam chala raha tha. I bowled in very crucial stages. I am happy that had helped the team to come out of any tough situation and win the trophy.” A curious Modi then asked if the team’s fielding drills include practising the kind of spectacular catches that Suryakumar Yadav pulled off in the final against South Africa.
Head coach Rahul Dravid informed the PM that Suryakumar had taken at least 150 such catches during practice.
“From IPL to start of tournament, I had taken many catches like that, but did not know God would give me an opportunity in that kind of situation. I did practice for such a situation,” Suryakumar said.
On that, Modi said, “The whole country was under pressure and the match changed because of that catch. You are a lucky person that it belonged to you.” All-rounder Hardik Pandya revealed that all the players forgot to check with Suryakumar whether it was a legal catch.
During his post-match interview Pandya had talked about testing times before the World Cup and he shared his experience with PM too.
“The six months were quite entertaining, ups and downs. I had gone to ground and the public booed me and other lot of things happened. I always felt that if I have to respond to it, I will do so with my game.
“I was speechless at that time, I am speechless now also. I believe in keep fighting the battles and not leaving the ground because both difficulties and success will come. I also got help from the captain, players and coach, everybody.” It was then the turn of Virat Kohli to answer a question from the PM on the ups and downs in the tournament, before his valuable knock in the final.
“In the whole tournament, I could not contribute fully the way I wanted. But (in the final) I got three fours in four balls and I felt I was in the zone. When wickets fell quickly, I thought I have to surrender to the situation.
“I had to keep my ahankaar (arrogance) aside for the team. I gave ‘respect’ to the game and that day the game gave me the respect back. I came to know that when something has to happen, it happens. It was to happen with me and with the team.” Rohit said the players were desperate and hungry to win the T20 World Cup.
“We went to New York for the first time and there were no good practice ground, there were difficulties. But nobody was focussing on those things. Everybody was thinking how we will play the final in Barbados. I felt good of captaining a side whose players have the same goal.
Talking about Rohit tasting the soil of the Barbados wicket after the triumph, PM Modi said that only a ‘Hindustani’ will be able to do that.
Rohit said, “Where we achieve the victory, the pitch, that one moment I wanted to remember forever, so I tasted it.” The Prime Minister hoped that T20 World Cup win would also inspire athletes pursuing careers in other sports.
Source: PTI News
