Champions Trophy diary: Lungi Dance and the joy of being champions

By K.R. Nayar 

Dubai.  The joyful scenes that followed India’s win will remain etched in the memories of those who were at the stadium forever. Never before had Indian expatriates celebrated a victory with such enthusiasm. After the final, when the stadium’s public address system played the Lungi Dance song, many fans wrapped themselves in the Indian flag and danced to the tune. Since lungis are traditionally tied around the waist, almost everyone did the same with the flag. Interestingly, even the Indian players joined in, dancing to various songs. As Indian rap songs echoed beyond the stadium, fans continued dancing all the way home.

Rohit Sharma takes a selfie with the trophy and journalists

Sharma poses the trophy with journalists

 Rohit Sharma made it a point to share the joy of winning with journalists as well. In Barbados, after winning the ICC T20 World Cup, he had posed with reporters and even autographed their media accreditation cards. When asked by this reporter about the key factor behind India's dominance in both formats, Sharma gave a calculated response: "It's just the enjoyment of playing for India. Representing India is not a joke. Everyone wants to do it with a lot of integrity and pride. So, when they step onto the field, they carry that pride with them. Results are bound to follow."In a candid moment, Sharma also remarked, “India is a bloody good team.”

India is a bloody good team, says Rohit Sharma. Photo ICC

Sharma on retirement and Aloo Parathas

 At the end of the post-match press conference, Rohit Sharma addressed speculation about his retirement, saying, "I'm not going to retire from this format, just to make sure no rumors are spread moving forward." A journalist then jokingly remarked that Sharma should have also clarified another rumor—whether he was planning to go on a diet or indulge in his favorite Aloo Paratha. This led to a discussion about a recent comment by a Congress spokesperson, who had suggested Sharma was too overweight to be a sportsman.

Aloo Paratha 

Another reporter quipped that if Sharma could hit sixes and play such powerful shots, he should eat more Aloo Parathas. Someone even recalled how, during a 1997 India-Pakistan match in Toronto, Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq had confronted a spectator for calling him Aloo. The conversation ended with a remark that Sharma’s match-winning knock in the final should be dedicated to the Congress spokeswoman.

Hardik Pandya’s dance and expressions

Hardik Pandya is an incredibly expressive cricketer. After winning the Champions Trophy final, he entered the press conference room in the white winners’ jacket, speaking freely about his performance. He talked about how he had been hitting sixes since he was 14, adding that the only difference between then and now was that he has developed more power now. "There is nothing special about my hard-hitting," he said. "If the ball is in my arc, I will hit it."

Hardik Pandya shakes hands with journalists. Photo by K.R. Nayar 

Pandya shook hands with every reporter and remarked that there was "nothing like making people happy by winning."Like a trained dancer, Pandya had danced for a long time after the victory. His celebratory dance with former Indian opener and commentator Navjot Singh Sidhu has gone viral. Similarly, his dance with Indian actress Ananya Pandey at the grand Anant Ambani-Radhika Merchant wedding last year has also became a trending topic.

KL Rahul and questions about his wicketkeeping

 KL Rahul must be growing tired of repeated questions about his role as a wicketkeeper-batsman. When the topic resurfaced after the Champions Trophy final, he responded: "When people ask me when I started wicketkeeping, I tell them, ‘Hey, I was always a wicketkeeper!’ But I rarely got opportunities to keep for the team. When I began playing cricket, I was a wicketkeeper-batsman, but over time, I focused more on my batting. In 2019, when the team needed a keeper, I took on the responsibility, and since then, it has been an important part of my role." He was also asked about adapting to different batting positions, sometimes opening the innings and other times batting lower down the order.

K.L. Rahul answers queries from journalists after the final. Photo by K.R. Nayar 

"Cricket is a team game, and you need to understand your role and perform accordingly. I'm happy that I've been given different roles, and I’ve worked hard to deliver in each one," he said.