BCCI secretary Jay Shah ended the debate on ODI and Test captaincy by affirming Rohit Sharma’s leadership role after congratulating Team India for their T20 World Cup triumph in the West Indies.
In a video message, Shah expressed confidence in winning the upcoming World Test Championship Final and Champions Trophy under Sharma’s captaincy. He dedicated the win to outgoing coach Rahul Dravid and the retiring trio of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja, who announced their retirements from T20Is following the victory against South Africa in Barbados.
“Congratulations to Team India for this historic victory. I dedicate this win to coach Rahul Dravid, captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja. This was our third final in the past year,” Shah said.
Reflecting on India’s journey, Shah mentioned the disappointment of losing the WTC final in June 2023 and the near-miss in the ODI World Cup. He recalled his promise in Rajkot that India would win the World Cup in June 2024, a promise fulfilled by Rohit Sharma’s leadership.
Shah underlined the pivotal role of the final five overs in the summit clash, where crucial wickets by Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya, along with a spectacular catch by Suryakumar Yadav, secured India’s victory. He thanked these players for their significant contributions.
Looking ahead, Shah expressed his belief in Sharma’s leadership for upcoming tournaments. “With this victory, our next goals are the 2025 WTC final and the Champions Trophy. I am confident we will win both under Rohit Sharma’s leadership. Thank you all. Jai Hind, Jai Bharat, Vande Mataram,” he concluded.
The Indian team returned to a warm reception and was hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi before heading to Mumbai for a victory parade from Nariman Point to Wankhede Stadium.
The BCCI awarded the team a prize of 125 crore rupees at the Wankhede Stadium, celebrating the return of the T20 World Cup to Indian soil after 17 years and ending an 11-year ICC title drought.
