"Paon mein, dimag mein, dil mein" - Suryakumar Yadav on Rohit Sharma's huddle speech that spurred India for 2024 T20 World Cup final
Suryakumar Yadav disclosed that Indian captain Rohit Sharma asked his teammates to give him whatever they have in their "legs, mind and heart" to help him climb the mountain of the 2024 T20 World Cup Final against South Africa in a speech that spurred them up enough for a historic seven-run win.
Rohit, who was playing his last T20I, dealt his cards correctly in the second innings. And his death bowlers, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh and Hardik Pandya, brought the team back from a losing run-a-ball chase to a last-over win with immense effort. Suryakumar himself took a stunning self-relay boundary catch at long off on the first ball of the last over to help dismiss David Miller.
"He told us to keep it simple but said, ‘I can’t climb this mountain alone. If I have to reach the peak, I will need everyone’s oxygen’," Suryakumar told The Indian Express. "He also said, ‘Joh bhi hai, paon mein, dimag mein, dil mein (Whatever you have in your legs, mind and heart), just bring everything to the game. If that happens, we will not regret the night’. We all were moved."
Suryakumar added that Rohit's speeches make an impact because he commands respect and love outside of the field too.
"He connects with the players. Off the field, be it in a hotel room, or on the beach, he connects with everyone. So when a crunch situation comes, players know that he (Rohit) will back us. One feels I have to deliver for this man for the confidence and respect he gives to everyone.”
Rohit, who had a ton of questions about his batting ability and leadership (after being removed from Mumbai Indians' helm), proved a lot of people wrong with the win. It was the perfect way for him to sign off from a format he started playing in 2007.
"He was a leader in his own way" - Suryakumar Yadav on Virat Kohli
Suryakumar also spared a word for Virat Kohli, the former captain, who was the Player of the Match in the final despite struggling for runs all tournament.
"He is a powerhouse of energy on the ground, irrespective of his performance. If you see, till the final, things didn’t go as he wanted to but the way he carried himself on the field… He was taking part in team get-togethers, practice sessions, everything. He was a leader in his own way,” he said.
Kohli also bid adieu to the format after the win but is likely to continue playing in the IPL.