The image of Virat Kohli lifting Sachin Tendulkar on his shoulders during the victory lap at the Wankhede Stadium after the 2011 ICC World Cup is indeed a memorable moment for every Indian. It symbolizes the respect and admiration that Kohli had for Tendulkar, as well as the passing of the torch from one generation to the next.
During the ICC World Cup 2023 schedule announcement ceremony, former Indian opener Virender Sehwag shared an interesting anecdote about that moment. He revealed that other players had the opportunity to lift Tendulkar but chose to pass it on to the younger players, including Kohli.
“Because we rejected, Sachin was so heavy, we couldn’t lift him. We were old. We have shoulder injuries and MS had knee problems, somebody else had other problems. We gave the burden to the youngsters. You go and pick up Sachin Tendulkar and give him a round. That’s why it was Virat Kohli,” Sehwag said at the ICC 2023 World Cup fixture release event on Tuesday (June 27).
The 2011 World Cup was Tendulkar’s last ICC event, and he equaled Javed Miandad’s record for the most World Cup appearances with his sixth tournament participation. Throughout the tournament, Tendulkar played crucial innings, including a match-winning 85 against Pakistan in the semi-final at Mohali.
Although Tendulkar didn’t have a significant contribution in the final against Sri Lanka, Gautam Gambhir and MS Dhoni played pivotal knocks to help India chase down 275 runs and secure their second World Cup trophy on April 2nd, 2011.
After the match, Kohli, along with Yusuf Pathan, lifted Tendulkar on their shoulders during the team’s lap of honour. Tendulkar held the Indian tricolour and expressed his gratitude to the fans in the stands, creating an unforgettable moment of celebration and unity.
Since winning the 2011 World Cup, India have won only one ICC event – the 2013 Champions Trophy – and their wait for lifting a trophy in another global event has now lasted more than a decade.
Notably, the Indian team will begin their World Cup 2023 campaign on October 8 against Australia in Chennai.
