Kohli's Mental Game Key to T20 World Cup Win: Rohit Sharma Highlights Star's Composure Under Pressure

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli (ICC Photo)

Rohit Sharma reminisced about India's historic T20 World Cup victory over South Africa, pinpointing Virat Kohli's resilient half-century and crucial partnership with Axar Patel as pivotal moments.

Reflecting on the intense start to the final, Sharma noted, "If you hit three boundaries in the first over, then obviously, you’ve started off well. And that’s exactly what every cricketer wants—it helps settle the nerves."

For Sharma, Kohli's composure under pressure stemmed from his extensive experience representing India. "The experience of playing for India over so many years also helps in those moments. You learn to control your emotions, manage your thoughts, and stay in the present. I’m sure even he (Virat) was thinking, ‘Today is the day—I need to stay focused and not worry about what happened in the past.’"

Kohli delivered a defining performance, stabilizing India's innings with a vital 76 runs and forging a critical partnership with Axar Patel after an early loss of wickets.

"When we lost those three wickets up front, there were definitely nerves inside the dressing room. I was panicking—I wasn't comfortable," Sharma confessed. "I remember thinking, ‘We’ve let them into the game.’ But in the back of my mind, I always had belief in our lower middle order—positions 5, 6, 7, and 8. They hadn’t batted much in the tournament, but whenever they got the opportunity, they made it count.”

Sharma specifically commended Axar Patel, whose rapid 47 off 31 balls significantly shifted the game's momentum. "Not many people are talking about Axar’s knock, but that innings was a real game-changer. To score 47 off 31 balls at that stage was incredibly crucial.”

The Indian captain praised Kohli's anchoring role, which allowed the rest of the batting lineup to perform freely.

"We needed someone to bat through the innings, and Virat did that job perfectly. It was really important for someone to anchor the innings, and he did it brilliantly. That allowed Shivam, Axar, and Hardik to come in and play their roles with freedom—and that’s exactly what they did.”

This final match at Kensington Oval, a fitting T20 international farewell for both Rohit and Kohli, is remembered for its composure, experience, and teamwork. Virat Kohli's pivotal performance under pressure was central to India's success.