India’s captain Rohit Sharma, third left, and teammates celebrate with the winners trophy on the podium after defeating New Zealand in the final cricket match of the ICC Champions Trophy at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, March 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Christopher Pike)
The Indian team on Sunday went the whole mile in the Champions Trophy as an undefeated unit after they defeated New Zealand in the final in Dubai. Reacting to the unbeaten streak, skipper Rohit Sharma lauded the team and said it was a pretty special feat to boast of an unblemished record in such an important tournament.
“We went undefeated despite losing all five tosses. Yet, we still won the trophy. Across the five matches we played, we didn’t lose a single one. Winning a tournament without a single defeat is a massive achievement in itself, and it gives me immense satisfaction. To be honest, until we won the trophy, no one really thought about it. But after the victory, it hit us—we had gone through the entire tournament undefeated. That realization made it even more special. It’s difficult to put into words how that feels right now,” the captain said in an exclusive interaction with JioHotstar.
“We have an incredibly solid team, and it’s a joy to play alongside such committed individuals. Everyone knows their role and responsibilities. Of course, emotions run high on the field. Sometimes, I get a bit carried away, but it’s all in the spirit of the game. The words exchanged on the ground aren’t meant to hurt anyone or show off—they are just an expression of our passion. At the end of the day, our main goal is to win, and we are ready to do whatever it takes to achieve that,” he added.
Sunday’s Champions Trophy triumph helped India break the tie with Australia with a record third Champions Trophy title, adding onto the wins in 2002 (shared with Sri Lanka) and 2013. The win comes only eight months after Rohit led the Men in Blue to their second T20 World Cup title in Barbados. Starting with the 2023 ODI World Cup, India have now played 23 matches in three successive ICC limited-overs events, bearing a solitary loss in the CWC final against Australia.
