"This World Cup was for Rohit Sharma" - Kuldeep Yadav

Left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav, one of the cogs behind India's 2024 T20 World Cup triumph, has dedicated the title to Rohit Sharma. He credited the skipper for loving the team and "leading from the front".

Rohit batted with a high strike rate but struggled for runs after the first match against Ireland. However, a magnificent 92 (41) against Australia in the final Super-Eights game followed by another half-century against England in the semi-finals sent India rocking and helped the team breeze through to the final.

“This World Cup was for him, the way he planned and the way he loved this team," Kuldeep told Sports Today. "The intent and approach that he used to talk about in team meetings, he implemented that in the tournament while batting, led from the front. So this trophy is for him."

Rohit, alongside Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja, announced their T20I retirements after the title triumph, in a fairytale ending to their careers.

"There is probably no better feeling than this," Kuldeep said. “In the final Virat bhai hit the 70-odd runs, won the player of the match. I am sure he will be very happy with his career in the T20 format, same for Rohit bhai. Jadeja as well, he played such brilliant cricket over the years,” he added.

Kuldeep had a tough final but before that, he took 10 wickets in just four matches, in what was one of the most consistent runs for an Indian bowler in a T20 World Cup.

"I'll never forget it" - Kuldeep Yadav on Mumbai celebrations

After the tournament, India traveled to Mumbai for a massive victory parade and celebrations, some of which are still ongoing.

“I'll never forget it. It was the first time I experienced something like that. Rohit bhai probably experienced that earlier as he had won in 2007. What happened in Mumbai was just unreal for me,” Kuldeep said in the same interview.

The spinner has been rested from India's ongoing series against Zimbabwe but will probably be back for the home Test series against Bangladesh in September.