‘Rohit, Virat Were Crying’: Ashwin Recalls Dressing Room Atmosphere After World Cup Final Loss

India’s remarkable journey in the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2023 concluded on November 19 with a bitter loss against Australia in the final. Led by Rohit Sharma, India couldn’t defend their total of 240, leading to a six-wicket defeat in the summit clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Despite winning 10 consecutive matches to reach the final, India fell short of clinching the title, extending their wait for an ICC championship. Videos surfaced online showing emotional moments of Indian players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Mohammed Siraj visibly upset after the loss.

Reflecting on the aftermath of the defeat, senior Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, part of the ODI World Cup 2023 squad, shared insights with former India batter S. Badrinath on the ex-Tamil Nadu batter’s YouTube channel. Ashwin revealed the emotional scene of Rohit and Virat in tears, expressing the pain he felt witnessing their distress.

Acknowledging the leadership prowess, Ashwin praised Rohit Sharma’s understanding of each team member, emphasising his personalised approach. He highlighted Rohit’s dedication, citing his efforts to understand and communicate tactical strategies to individuals in a personalised manner that showcases his leadership quality in Indian cricket.

“Yes, we felt the pain. Rohit and Virat were crying. Seeing that, it felt bad. Anyway, it was not meant to be. This team was an experienced one. Everybody knew what to do. And then, it was professional. Everybody knew their routines and 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 while talking on Badrinath on latter’s YouTube channel.

Ravichandran Ashwin Admires Rohit Sharma’s Captaincy

“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,” the off-spinner said.

“He puts in a lot of effort. He forgoes sleep and becomes part of meetings; he first puts in the effort. He makes an effort to understand how to explain tactics to each person. That’s an advanced level of leadership in Indian cricket,” added Ashwin.

Having won the ODI World Cup title under MS Dhoni’s leadership in 2011, Ashwin commended Rohit’s influence on the team. He credited Rohit’s aggressive batting style at the top order for setting a positive tone and instilling confidence in the entire squad. Rohit emerged as the tournament’s second-leading run-scorer with 597 runs in 11 matches, showcasing a strike rate of 125.95.

“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 confidence. He said, ‘It’s okay if we get out for 150. At least we will set the tone and instil fear’. I think all 11 players in the team had a great World Cup,” said Ashwin.