'Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were crying': R Ashwin reveals emotional scene in dressing room after World Cup 2023 heartbreak

Following the loss in the ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023 final against Australia, Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin provided a vivid account of the scenes in the dressing room. Despite maintaining an impeccable record throughout the competition, India's aspirations crumbled in the final game due to Travis Head's exceptional performance, leading Australia to their historic sixth World Cup title. 

In a recent conversation, Ashwin shared the profound impact of the defeat, disclosing that both senior players, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, were deeply affected and shed tears.

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"Yes, we felt the pain. Rohit and Virat were crying. Seeing that it felt bad. Anyway, not meant to be. This team was an experienced team. Everybody knew what to do. And then, it was professional. Everybody knew their routines and warm-ups. I think two natural leaders gave the team the space to do these two (Kohli and Rohit) and created a vibe," said Ashwin on his YouTube channel.

Despite India finishing as runners-up, Rohit Sharma received widespread acclaim for his explosive batting at the top of the order and exceptional captaincy. His teammate Ashwin praised Rohit for his profound understanding of all the players and emphasized his relentless efforts to delve deeper into their individual strengths and weaknesses.

"If you look at Indian cricket, everybody will tell you MS Dhoni is one of the best captains. Rohit Sharma is an outstanding person. He understands every single person in the team, he knows what each one of us likes and dislikes. He has a great understanding. He puts in the effort to know each member personally," stated Ashwin.