Superstar Virat Kohli says lessons learned from tough defeats in past ICC knock-out games have the paved the way for India’s second major title in less than 12 months.
India won the T20 World Cup in June last year and on Sunday, they lifted the Champions Trophy for the third time.
It was a total team effort from Rohit Sharma’s men over the course of their campaign in the UAE.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve had a Champions Trophy, and the format is really good. This was our aim. After a tough tour of Australia, we came here and won a big tournament, which has once again boosted our confidence as a team,” Kohli told the host broadcaster.
“Throughout the tournament, different players stepped up in different matches. There were moments in past tournaments where we weren’t able to finish games or capitalise on crucial situations. But this time, we learned from those experiences.”
The experience of Rohit and K L Rahul towards the end got India over the line in the final against New Zealand.
“That’s why you back experienced players - they have faced these moments before, and when you apply those learnings and work hard, you get a chance to turn things around,” Kohli said.
“The way KL (Rahul) finished in the last two matches is a testament to that experience. When you’ve been in those situations before and couldn’t cross the line, there’s always a desire to get another opportunity and overcome it. And that’s exactly what we did.”
India were by far the best team in the combination. They picked as many as five spinners and that worked well for them on the slow wickets of Dubai. In the playing eleven, India had four spin options.
“One thing we kept emphasising throughout the tournament was focusing on our skills - how good we are, not how good the opposition is. Despite all the challenges, this is why you play the game - for these big tournaments.
“Winning four ICC titles is truly a blessing, and I consider myself very lucky to have played for so long and achieved this,” said Kohli, who was also part of the victorious 2011 ODI World Cup squad and 2013 Champions Trophy outfit.
