T20 World Cup: Why did Rohit Sharma taste mud from the pitch?

After India's 7 run victory over South Africa in the final, the stadium erupted with celebrations but Rohit Sharma, who felt so relieved, had quietly walked to the pitch and tasted a small portion of it.

In a video released by the Board of control for cricket in India (BCCI), Rohit Sharma opened up on why he tasted the mud from the pitch. "See, those things are.. I don't think I can describe that because nothing was scripted, it was all coming instinctively. I was feeling the moment, when I went to the pitch, because that pitch gave us this (Trophy), that pitch, that ground. I will remember it throughout my life. So I wanted a piece of that pitch with me, so yeah those moments are very special. I wanted something of it, that was the reason behind it." he said.

He also said that team India had a blast the night after the final and he did miss his sleep again. But "it was absolutely fine by me," he added. "It still feels like a dream, even though it has come true. It feels really nice when you work hard for something and it pays off," Rohit Sharma said, explaining his surreal feelings.

Interestingly, the trend of tasting the grass or soil was started by tennis star Novak Djokovic when he first beat Nadal to win his first Wimbledon in 2011. He continued doing that in every Wimbledon season that he won. Incidentally, Djokovic also said that the celebration was 'instinctive'.

Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma had announced his retirement from T20 Internationals after the World Cup victory as the highest run-getter in the format.