A tense final that almost went to the wire before India ensured victory, its third ICC Champions trophy triumph. That just six balls remained made it look that close but the packed stadium in Dubai knew that victory for India was almost assured and when Ravindra Jadeja struck a boundary, all was over barring the celebrations and fireworks. It was an unprecedented night in the Gulf country as so many questions on Indian cricket had been answered with that grand win.

Indeed, as the contest went about it would have been difficult for the Indian players not to remember that horrendous night in Ahmedabad in 2023. The occasion was the ICC ODI world cup final, and Australia was the opponent. Like in Dubai, India had breezed through to the final on an unbeaten note. Most of the players who featured in Dubai were there in that Rohit Sharma led team, which had looked in every aspect a winner. A full house in the Narendra Modi stadium, the world’s largest cricket facility had looked forward to a glorious finish for the home team. But in a low scoring final, India could only raise a humble target which Australia scaled with ease to stun and silence the home crowd.

Those dark memories were neatly brushed aside in Dubai but again it was another low scoring final!  India has repeatedly been proving to be great chasers of target and so when Rohit lost the toss once again, it did not seem costly!  But then New Zealand too did not prove an easy opponent, True, in the league phase, India had registered a convincing victory over the same opponent, but the New Zealanders even then had proved that they are great fighters. Perhaps what stood out about them was the near flawless fielding. None personified that more than Glenn Phillips who took some impossible catches to make catching look an art by itself!  Yet under pressure not everyone in the side could match Phillips’ solidity in that department and in the end that certainly had proved costly.  More so in what was a low scoring contest. As it happened it was just India’s day!

Yet for all this, one cannot take away anything from Rohit’s grand show.  Rohit and Virat Kohli, the two senior professionals in the Indian side had been the subject of many discussions in the social media lately all for the wrong reasons.  Their poor touch in the Australian tour started it all but the Champions trophy proved that when it came to the crunch, nothing can replace experience or class. Rohit in particular was the star of the final and rightly judged the ‘player of the match’ after his explosive start that laid the foundation when India began its reply and earlier to that for his astute leadership that put the brakes on the rival’s batting enterprise. It must be said Rohit’s 76, the highest in the side, proved an invaluable contribution in the end.

For sure, Rohit could not have answered his critics in a better way.  ICC T20 world cup last year and now the Champions trophy this time (won after a 12-year gap) in addition to having taken India to 2023 ODI world cup final, not to forget the Asia cup titles, he certainly has some record to show.  What is more, his leadership has ensured that India was a king in the white ball cricket tournaments. No wonder his parting shot to the press corp after the final that “I am not going to retire from this format. I want to make sure that no rumours are spread,” seemed an apt retort to all his detractors.

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India's captain Rohit Sharma, right, and teammates react after receiving the white coats during the presentation ceremony of the ICC Champions Trophy after their win against New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. | Photo: AP
India's captain Rohit Sharma, right, and teammates react after receiving the white coats during the presentation ceremony of the ICC Champions Trophy after their win against New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. | Photo: AP

There is no doubt Rohit and Kohli have contributed immensely to see India reign at the top in particular in the limited version of the game. What matters in high-pressure matches is the way the team approaches challenges. Rohit proved his bit in the final and Kohli did his role in the semifinal of the Champions trophy. Play well and inspire the rest have been their motto and that, it must be said, had rubbed well on the team as a whole. The latest title-win exemplified this, if one were to believe in the thinking of these two legends. “If you look at this tournament, over the course of five matches, everyone had put their hand up somewhere or the other. These are the things, after playing so long, you look forward to,” Kohli was quoted in a newspaper and what more can one say of the thinking of an experienced professional.

So, then the cheers are back for Indian cricket. BCCI must be happy that the boys did wonders. The Board had its way in ensuring that India would have its matches in Dubai in this Pakistan-hosted event and the collective ebullience in the team did the rest. With back-to-back ICC titles after the latest success, India should be the team to beat the ICC men’s world cup in 2027 to be hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. As they say great times are here for Indian cricket.