Rohit Sharma reflects on India’s 2024 T20 World Cup triumph, highlighting Suryakumar Yadav’s stunning catch to dismiss David Miller as the turning point. He also shares insights on Rahul Dravid’s final mission, and India’s semi-final redemption against England after their 2022 heartbreak.
Exactly one year after India clinched the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup title, captain Rohit Sharma opened up about the defining moments of the final against South Africa. In a revealing conversation with JioHotstar, Rohit singled out Suryakumar Yadav’s extraordinary boundary catch to dismiss David Miller as the turning point of the match.
India lifted the coveted trophy after a tense seven-run win in Barbados, securing their second T20 World Cup title since 2007. With South Africa needing quick runs in the final overs, the dismissal of Miller—known for his power hitting—was vital.
“Surya was at long-off, and that catch—honestly, it was the moment of the match,” said Rohit. “Even after he took it, the umpires were checking if he touched the rope. Everyone’s heart was in their mouth. I was at long-on, watching it unfold. It looked like a six—until Surya flew in and took that blinder.”
Rohit also detailed the anxiety during the third umpire’s check. “I was standing next to him during the check. I asked him and he said, ‘I think I’ve caught it.’ The zoom camera showed the rope didn’t move—which usually happens if it’s touched. That gave us some relief. But until it flashed on the big screen, you don’t know what the third umpire’s going to decide.”
The victory also marked a fitting farewell for head coach Rahul Dravid, who had initially planned to step down after the heartbreak of the 2023 ODI World Cup final. Rohit revealed how he and the team managed to persuade Dravid to continue for one last campaign.
“Rahul bhai wanted to step down after the 2023 World Cup. But we said, ‘There’s another World Cup in six months. We’ve come this far. Let’s give it one more shot.’ He agreed—and I’m so glad he did. I’m sure even now he feels that he made the right decision.”
For Rohit, the triumph was not only professional but also deeply personal. “My identity as a cricketer began with this format—in the 2007 T20 World Cup. To come full circle and lift the trophy again in 2024—it was just fantastic.”
India’s journey to the final was filled with key moments, none more emotional than their semi-final victory over England in Guyana. With painful memories of the 2022 T20 World Cup semi-final loss still fresh, Rohit described how that defeat became a motivator and blueprint for change.
“Heading into this semi-final, I was quietly confident,” Rohit recalled. “We’d played really good cricket leading up to this match—everyone was in form, and we were doing exactly what we had set out to do as a team. Of course, the 2022 loss to England was in the back of our minds—it should be.”
The Indian team, under Rohit’s leadership, took those lessons seriously. “From 2022 to 2024, we changed a lot of things: our mindset, our preparation, and the way we approached key moments. This time, we were fully prepared. There was belief, and there was clarity in what we wanted to achieve.”
A strategic masterstroke in the semi-final was India’s decision to focus on early wickets, particularly targeting Jos Buttler and Phil Salt. “Taking wickets in the powerplay was crucial—half the job gets done there,” said Rohit. “Buttler is their key player. He’s experienced, plays around the world, and knows our bowlers well. So, getting him early was critical.”
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India got Buttler in the third over, followed by Salt in the next, effectively sealing the momentum. “Once that happened, we knew we were halfway there,” Rohit said. “We brought on the spinners—Kuldeep, Axar, and Jaddu—and they bowled beautifully. The pitch was helping spin, and the idea was to get the slower bowlers on as early as possible.”
In the end, it was a tale of belief, preparation, and execution that brought India their long-awaited T20 crown—and one moment of brilliance from Suryakumar Yadav that captured it all.
