After India won the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 at Dubai International Stadium on Sunday by four wickets against New Zealand, Rohit Sharma’s childhood coach Dinesh Lad was thrilled and delightfully excited.
ANI quotes Dinesh Lad as saying, “I have been giving interviews to news outlets since morning that we will win… Rohit informed me before leaving that we will win the Champions Trophy… He has given me this second Guru Dakshina…, “.
#WATCH | On India lifting the #ICCChampionsTrophy title, cricketer Rohit Sharma's childhood coach, Dinesh Lad, says, "I have no words to speak, I have been giving interviews to news channels since morning that we are going to win… Rohit told me before leaving that we will win… pic.twitter.com/ZU9npK8kEY
— ANI (@ANI) March 9, 2025
Rohit Sharma’s second ICC championship made him the second most successful Indian captain. India claimed their second ICC trophy under Rohit’s captaincy less than nine months following their victory over South Africa in the 2024 T20 World Cup played in Bridgetown.
Before competing in their third straight Champions Trophy final in Dubai on March 9, 2025, India’s fourth straight ICC final in under two years – the World Test Championship (WTC) in 2023, the ODI World Cup in 2023, and the T20 World Cup 2024 – was also in order. The first captain in international cricket to guide his team in the final of all four major ICC events, Rohit was.
India captained by Rohit Sharma won the 2024 T20 World Cup last year to stop an ICC title famine of more than a decade running to the Champions Trophy victory under MS Dhoni’s leadership in 2013.
Having three ICC trophies to his title—the 2007 T20 World Cup, the 2011 ODI World Cup, and the 2013 Champions Trophy—Dhoni remains the most successful Indian captain.
Rohit has signed the list with two ICC trophies to complete in less than a year’s separation to surpass famous cricketers Sourav Ganguly (2002 Champions Trophy) and Kapil Dev (1983 ODI World Cup).
Shreyas Iyer’s 48 and K.L. Ranji’s 76-run knock set the tone for India’s 252 chase. With one over remaining, Rahul’s undefeated 34 carried the team past. Cameo innings from Axar Patel (29) and Hardik Pandya (18) also pushed the team closer to a win in an exciting game.
In the history of the eight-team event, India also became the first nation to win the Champions Trophy three times.
