In a recent interview, Rohit Sharma opened up about the tense atmosphere in the Indian dressing room during the T20 World Cup final against South Africa on June 29, 2024, at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados. India won the match by 7 runs, securing their second T20 World Cup title, but the victory wasn't without its anxious moments.

India, after winning the toss and electing to bat, found themselves in early trouble. Rohit Sharma himself, along with Rishabh Pant and Suryakumar Yadav, were dismissed cheaply, leaving the team reeling at 34 for 3 in the powerplay. According to Rohit, this collapse triggered a wave of panic within the team. He admitted to feeling "uncomfortable" and fearing that India had allowed South Africa an opening into the game.

However, Virat Kohli, who had been having a relatively quiet tournament leading up to the final, stepped up when it mattered most. He played a composed and crucial innings of 76 runs off 59 deliveries. Kohli's innings provided much-needed stability to the Indian batting lineup. Rohit praised Kohli's ability to control his emotions and stay focused on the present moment, particularly highlighting the importance of his experience in such high-pressure situations. Rohit stated that Kohli's mindset was crucial and that Kohli wasn't worrying about what had happened before.

Kohli also forged a significant 72-run partnership with Axar Patel, who contributed a quickfire 47 off 31 balls. Rohit lauded Axar's innings as a "game-changer," emphasizing the importance of his aggressive approach at that stage of the match. Following Axar's dismissal, Kohli continued to anchor the innings, adding 47 runs with Shivam Dube, who chipped in with a valuable 27 off 16 balls, helping India reach a competitive total of 176 for 7.

Rohit noted the importance of having one player bat through the innings, and he felt Kohli did that job perfectly, allowing players like Shivam Dube, Axar Patel and Hardik Pandya to come in and play their natural game.

Despite the early setbacks and his own feelings of panic, Rohit revealed that he maintained faith in the team's lower middle order, who he believed would perform when given the opportunity. He also credited Rahul Dravid and how he wanted to step down as coach after the 2023 World Cup, but was convinced to stay for one more tournament, a decision that paid dividends in the end.

After the match, Rohit described winning the T20 World Cup as the best moment of his cricketing career. He highlighted the team's meticulous planning and hard work, which ultimately led to their triumph in Barbados. Rohit also mentioned how special it was to bounce back from the heartbreak of losing the 2023 ODI World Cup final.

Following the T20 World Cup victory, both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retired from T20Is.