Rohit Sharma's Emotional Gesture: Eating Soil from T20 World Cup Pitch

Rohit Sharma's Emotional Moment: Eating Soil from T20 World Cup Pitch

In the aftermath of India's thrilling victory over South Africa in the T20 World Cup final, captain Rohit Sharma displayed an unexpected gesture that captured the emotions of the moment. As the celebrations unfolded at the Kensington Oval, Rohit walked to the pitch, knelt down, and picked up a speck of soil from the track, which he then ate.

This act, reminiscent of tennis legend Novak Djokovic's habit of eating grass from the Wimbledon centre court, sparked curiosity and speculation. However, Rohit clarified that his move was not premeditated but rather an instinctive expression of his feelings.

"Nothing was scripted; it was all coming instinctively," Rohit said in a video recorded by the BCCI. "I was feeling the moment."

The India captain explained that the pitch held special significance for him and his team. "That pitch gave us this (T20 World Cup), we played on that particular pitch and we won the game on that particular ground," he said. "I will remember that ground and that pitch forever in my life. So I wanted to have a piece of it with me."

Rohit's emotional outburst reflected the immense joy and relief that the team felt after their hard-fought victory. India had come back from a precarious position, with South Africa needing just 30 runs from 30 balls to win. But crucial blows from Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah, aided by Suryakumar Yadav's stunning catch, turned the tide in India's favor.

"The feeling actually is surreal," Rohit said. "I would say it still hasn't sunk in totally. It's been a great moment, right from when the game got over till now. It feels like a dream...Although it has happened, it feels like it hasn't happened."

The skipper revealed that the team celebrated their victory late into the night. "Last night, we were having a good time, had a blast with the teammates till very early morning," he said. "So I would say I didn't sleep properly, but that's absolutely fine for me."

Rohit also announced his retirement from T20Is at the post-match press conference, a decision that followed Virat Kohli's similar announcement. "Like I said, this moment was very, very special for all of us, and I want to live it, each moment, each minute, each second that is passing by, I want to make the most of it," Rohit concluded, with the T20 World Cup trophy by his side.

Tags: #T20WorldCup, #RohitSharma, #India, #SouthAfrica, #KensingtonOval