India’s long wait for an ICC Champions Trophy title came to an end in 2025 as they clinched the prestigious tournament after twelve years.
Star batter Virat Kohli, who played a pivotal role in India’s campaign, spoke exclusively to Star Sports about the team’s triumph, emphasising the significance of experience, self-belief, and resilience in overcoming past setbacks.
With the ICC Champions Trophy making a comeback after several years, Kohli acknowledged the excitement and enthusiasm surrounding the format.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve had a Champions Trophy, and the format is really good. This was our aim. After a tough tour of Australia, we came here and won a big tournament, which has once again boosted our confidence as a team,” Kohli told Star Sports.
India showed strong determination throughout the tournament, with various team members delivering at crucial moments.
“There were moments in past tournaments where we weren’t able to finish games or capitalise on crucial situations. But this time, we learned from those experiences,” he said.
Kohli attributed the team’s success in pressure situations to the presence of experienced players.
“That’s why you back experienced players–they have faced these moments before, and when you apply those learnings and work hard, you get a chance to turn things around,” he explained.
KL Rahul emerged as a key performer during the knockout stages of the tournament.
“The way KL (Rahul) finished in the last two matches is a testament to that experience. When you’ve been in those situations before and couldn’t cross the line, there’s always a desire to get another opportunity and overcome it. And that’s exactly what we did.”
The team’s success was largely due to their focus on their capabilities rather than the opposition.
“One thing we kept emphasising throughout the tournament was focusing on our skills–how good we are, not how good the opposition is,” he said.
The team faced multiple challenges during the tournament.
“Despite all the challenges, this is why you play the game–for these big tournaments,” he remarked.
Kohli contributed significantly to India’s victory, scoring 218 runs in five matches. He finished fifth among the tournament’s highest run-scorers.
The victory marked Kohli’s fourth ICC title in his career.
“Winning four ICC titles is truly a blessing, and I consider myself very lucky to have played for so long and achieved this,” he concluded.
