Witnessed were the spectacular celebrations following India’s dramatic T20 World Cup triumph against South Africa. Fans were moved by the captain Rohit Sharma’s unusual gesture, even though the team as a whole was experiencing intense emotions.
In a touching video that the ICC shared, Rohit could be seen enjoying himself and even biting into the grass on the Kensington Oval field. This seemingly straightforward deed had a deeper purpose.
Later, Rohit clarified, “Nothing was scripted; it was all coming instinctively.” He talked about how the pitch in Barbados, a site that would always be imprinted in his memory, was crucial to India’s success. He found that he could keep a tangible memento of his incredible victory with him by eating a tiny bit of dirt.
“I was feeling the moment…because that pitch gave us this (T20 World Cup), we played on that particular pitch and we won the game on that particular ground, I will remember that ground and that pitch forever in my life. So I wanted to have a piece of it with me. Those moments are very, very special; and the place where all our dreams came true, I wanted something of it. That was the feeling behind it,” said Rohit in a video released by BCCI.
Both his gesture and the tears he wept following the game revealed Rohit’s emotional state. His gesture went beyond simple joy; it was a sincere homage to the pitch that had seen their victory and a representation of his strong bond with the sport.
