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Legendary India all-rounder and 1983 World Cup-winning captain, Kapil Dev penned a heartfelt emotional message for the Men in Blue skipper Rohit Sharma after over 1.4 billion dreams were shattered on November 19 (Sunday). Rohit, who couldn't hold back his emotions after India lost the World Cup final, received support from Kapil. The legendary Indian all-rounder took to Instagram and shared pictures of Rohit on his story in which the Hitman was seen in tears.
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"Rohit, you are a master at what you do. You have a lot of success awaiting you. It's tough I know but keep your spirits up. India is with you," Kapil wrote on his Instagram story.
Twenty years after witnessing India's defeat in the 2003 World Cup final as a teenager, Rohit, now the Indian captain, experienced a similar disappointment in the 2023 World Cup final against Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Despite leading an unbeaten and formidable Indian team throughout the tournament, they fell short, losing by six wickets.
In a poignant moment, as Australia celebrated their victory, Rohit, struggling to contain his emotions, retreated to the dressing room, overshadowed by the weight of the loss.
His performance in the tournament was commendable, finishing as India's second-highest run-scorer. Praised for his aggressive approach against new-ball bowlers, Rohit amassed 597 runs in 11 innings, boasting an average of 54.27 and a strike rate of 125.94. This included a century and three half-centuries, setting a new record for the most runs by a captain in a single World Cup edition.
The final match saw Rohit take an assertive stance from the outset, especially against Australia's pace attack. Despite a previous duck against Australia in the tournament opener, he confidently tackled Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, scoring quickly with boundaries and sixes. However, his adventurous play led to his downfall at 47 runs off 31 balls, as he was caught off Glenn Maxwell’s bowling.
The momentum shifted following Rohit's dismissal, with India facing a scoring drought in the middle overs. Contributions from Virat Kohli and KL Rahul, each scoring half-centuries, helped India reach a total of 240. However, this proved insufficient as Australia comfortably chased down the target with overs to spare, leaving India to reflect on what could have been in a tournament where they had otherwise been dominant.
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