Virender Sehwag hails PM Modi's visit to Indian dressing room, mocks at critics

Team India after facing a defeat against Australia in the ICC World Cup 2023 final Indias Prime Minister Narendra visited the Indian dressing room Former Indian batsman Virender Sehwag hailed PM Modi and called it a rare gesture by the countrys most powerful leader to lift the spirits in the changing roomPictures from the Indian dressing room went viral showing PM Modi shaking hands with the players and sharing a warm hug with star pace bowler Mohammad Shami who emerged as the highest wickettaker in the tournamentPM Modi commended how the team went 10 matches unbeaten in the tournament before finally coming unstuck in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in AhmedabadAlso ReadCrickets new rising starsSpeaking to ANI PM Modi said It is very rare for a prime minister to meet players in the dressing room and lift their spirits after a crushing defeat I have never seen a prime minister taking time out of his busy schedule to lend a shoulder to players heartbroken after a defeat It was an incredible gesture by Prime Minister Modi to visit the dressing room and boost the morale of the boys It was a time when the boys needed some handholding a gesture of solidarity and support In such lows you need someone to comfort you like family members do I believe it was a touching gesture that will go a long way to motivating our boys ahead of future engagements especially multilateral events It will motivate us to cross the final hurdle next timeAmid the uproar around the statements of some Opposition leaders blaming PM Modis attendance in the final for the teams defeat in the World Cup final the former India batting stalwart and ICC HallofFamer said You dont lose a World Cup final because of any single individual Our loss to Australia will spur us to chase glory in the next World Cup finalAlso ReadIndian bowlers look to improve against Australia ahead of the 2nd T20I clashRaising the hackles of the BJP Congress leader Rahul addressing a public event in Rajasthans Barmer blamed Indias defeat on PM Modi calling him a Panauti one who brings bad luckWest Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also took a dig at PM Modi claiming that India would have won had the World Cup final been hosted at Wankhede the venue for the 2011 World Cup final that India won or the Eden Gardens in Kolkata instead of a stadium named after himselfIn the video of PM Modis visit to the India dressing room he was seen holding the hands of skipper Rohit Sharma and batting talisman Virat Kohli who aggregated the most runs at the eventPM Modi was heard exhorting them to smile as the country was watching them Desh aap ko dekh raha hai the country is watching you PM Modi told Rohit and Virat inside the dressing roomScoffing at the Opposition leaders over their remarks the former India opener said Everyone was behind this team when they were doing so well And on a rare bad in office when they lost the final everyone should have come out in their support instead of making such remarks There are few PMs or leaders who visit a dressing room after a defeat Hence for PM Modi to visit our boys and lift their spirits would serve as an inspiration not just for cricket but also for other sports It will serve as a huge motivationFormer India head coach Ravi Shastri too hailed PM Modis gesture of visiting the dressing room and catching up with the Men in BlueI think its an outstanding gesture simply because I know what a dressing room feels like and I have been in that dressing room for more than seven years as a coach of India apart from many years as a cricketer It is a gutwrenching feeling and when you are down When you get someone like the Prime Minister of the country coming and visiting the dressing room it is something massive because it can lift the spirits of the players This is no ordinary man walking in When you have the Prime Minister of a country walking into the dressing room it is special I know what the players would have felt like I know what I would have felt like you know if I was a coach of India in that moment Shastri saidWith ANI Inputs