'Applaud the Guy Who Brings Us Back Again and Again': Virat Kohli Hails 'Once in a Generation Player' Jasprit Bumrah | WATCH

Team India returned to home territory following their ICC T20 World Cup 2024 exploits as the men in blue ended their 11-year wait for an ICC Trophy.

Star batter Virat Kohli, who made a match-winning 76 runs in the finals, addressed the passionate fans at the Wankhede during the felicitation ceremony following an open-top bus victory parade through Mumbai’s famous Marine Drive.

The batter, who announced his retirement from T20 International after the victory, thanked the fans for the phenomenal reception the team received on their return to the homeland.

“Since we came back what has happened has been phenomenal,” Kohli said.

He touched upon the title-winning game, which seemed to be slipping out of the Indian’s hands but was turned in their favour thanks to some incredible death-bowling performance from the pacers.

“At one point, like everyone in the stadium, we felt, ‘Man, is it going to slip up again?’, but what happened in the last five overs is something special,” Kohli said.

Kohli reserved special praise for strike bowler Bumrah as he acknowledged the seamer’s invaluable contributions to the cause of the team.

“I want everyone to applaud a guy who has brought us back into games again and again and again. And what he did in the last five overs was phenomenal. A huge round of applause to Jasprit Bumrah, please,” Kohli said as the crowd went into a frenzy.

“We want him to play for as long as he wants, he is a once-in-a-generation player,” he added.

Kohli also spoke about the different emotions he felt during the 2007 title triumph and the most recent triumph, citing experience as a crucial factor in learning.

“Back when we won the World Cup in 2011 there were a lot of tears and I couldn’t understand, I was young and we had won the world cup. But, now, being a senior player, with Rohit beside, after playing for so long, it is special,” the star batter added.

He also revealed the touching moment he shared with skipper skipper Rohit following the crowing game.

“We have been playing together for 15 years and this is the first time I’ve seen Rohit show so much emotion on the field. When I was walking up the steps, I was crying, he was crying and we hugged. That is a special moment,”

Kohli, known to make iconic statements following title triumphs, left the adoring Wankhede crowd with yet another jewel to cherish for years to come.

“The Indian flag is what we play for,” he signed off.