Rohit after winning T20 World Cup: It’s not what we did today, it’s what we did for three-four years.

“We wanted to win this, but I know to win a tournament like this, there’s a lot going on behind the scenes,” Rohit said at the launch event. “It’s a big effort, a lot of minds need to come together, and I’m very proud of the group of lads I have, and the management as well.

“By giving us the freedom to go and play and do that trust in each of us. That must start with the managers, the coach and the captain, and the players go out and do that. In every tournament, we were always there. It’s fun.”

Rohit praised India’s ability to come back from a very difficult situation, when South Africa needed 30 runs from 30 balls with six wickets in hand. Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh pulled it back after that to secure a seven-run victory.

“We have played many stressful games before and we have been on the wrong side of them, but the boys understand that when there is pressure, what needs to be done,” said Rohit. “Today was a good example of what is needed when the back is against the wall.

“We fought as a team, all of us, although at one point it was against South Africa, but I thought that as a team, on the field, we want this badly. It is very difficult to summarize what we are saying. It has been three to four years.

“We’ve worked hard as individuals and as a team, a lot has happened behind the scenes to be here today and win this game. It’s not what we did today, it’s what we’ve been doing for the last three years – four years, that’s the result we got today.”

The Man of the Match Award went to Virat Kohli, who helped India score 176 for 7 after scoring 34 for 3 in the fifth over. He has endured a tough T20 World Cup so far, scoring just 75 runs in seven innings, but Rohit said the team never had any doubts that Kohli would come in handy.

“There was no doubt about Virat’s form,” said Rohit. “We know the quality he has, he was at the top level for the last 15 years, he got there knowing that the big players will stand up. Virat was holding what was most important for us, and others were playing around him. To reach that number it was a team effort again.

“These are not wickets where you can come and bat freely and keep the scoreboard moving. We understand that, and we wanted someone to bat for a long time and Virat did that very well. That’s where the experience, all the years he’s been batting. played, comes into the picture. And the other guys they played very well, Axar’s [Patel] The knock of 47 was very important.”

While India looked to be in the lead as South Africa chased, David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen scored 38 runs in the 14th and 15th overs, from Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav, change the game on its head. But with 29 off 30 balls, Rohit turned to Bumrah, who conceded just four runs in his third over and just two runs in the 18th over to pile the pressure on South Africa.

Bumrah finished the T20 World Cup with 15 wickets, second only to Fazalhaq Farooqi and Arshdeep Singh, with an average of 8.26 and an economy of 4.17 to earn the Player of the Tournament award. “I’ve been seeing him for many years, playing with him, even I don’t know what’s really going on with him,” said Rohit. “I know exactly what he brought to the table, but the way he did it was just a masterclass in honesty.

“And he backs up his skills, more than enough and he is a confident boy, whatever he wants to do, he does it perfectly. In one word, he is a class player. Hardik was also brilliant, bowling like this. , no matter how many runs it takes to book a long time, nerves and all that, I’m very proud.”