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After leading the Indian team to victory in the ICC T20 World Cup by defeating South Africa in Barbados, Rohit Sharma paid homage to Novak Djokovic’s celebratory ritual. Following the thrilling win, Rohit approached the pitch, gently patting it and taking a symbolic pinch of soil, a gesture reminiscent of Djokovic’s renowned actions on the tennis court. Wimbledon’s official account shared images of both athletes in similar acts, drawing parallels between the achievements of these sporting greats.
Rohit, a self-proclaimed admirer of Djokovic, indicated that his celebration was inspired by the Serbian tennis star’s illustrious career. In the post-match press conference, Rohit announced his retirement from the T20I format, alongside his longtime teammate Virat Kohli, marking the end of their era in Indian cricket.
The final match against South Africa was a tense affair where India successfully defended a total of 176 runs, despite the strong performances from Heinrich Klaasen and Quinton de Kock. The trio of Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, and Hardik Pandya played pivotal roles with Pandya entrusted to bowl the crucial final over, where he started with the wicket of David Miller, followed by a historic catch from Suryakumar Yadav at long-off that sealed India’s victory.
The T20 World Cup 2024 also marked the conclusion of Rahul Dravid’s tenure as the head coach of the Indian team. While the next coach is yet to be officially announced, reports suggest Gautam Gambhir is a leading contender for the role.
