Virat Kohli hails Jasprit Bumrah to Wankade screams 'Hardik, Hardik' - Iconic moments at Team India's victory parade in Mumbai

Despite delays, rain, and the crowd, people waited patiently for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 winning squad to get atop the open bus to parade through Marine Drive and then celebrated with fans inside the Wankhede Stadium. The Men in Blue, led by Rohit Sharma and veterans Virat Kohli and coach Rahul Dravid, had a gala time in a jam-packed Mumbai.

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It was hectic for the Indian squad as they returned home after being stranded in Barbados for days and then landed in New Delhi in the early morning of July 4. After meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the team flew to Mumbai where celebrations were planned. While fans enjoyed every moment, here are some of the iconic moments during the parade.

Team India's flight gets a water salute at Mumbai airport:

The Indian men's cricket team landed in Mumbai via the Vistara flight from New Delhi and it had a special call sign - UK1845 - which included the jersey numbers of Virat Kohli (18) and Rohit Sharma (45) who retired from T20Is after India's title win. The champions received a 'Water Salute' at the Mumbai airport, a ceremony performed as a symbol of respect and honour for the aircraft and its crew.

A fan climbs a tree to get close to the team:

While all the fans had brought the 'never sleeping' Mumbai to a standstill, one fan climbed a nearby tree. What was even more surprising was the reaction of the cricketers who later found him lying on a branch, taking videos and photos.

India team dancing:

Once inside the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, the India team danced to the tunes of 'Chak De India' with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma leading from the front.

Virat Kohli hailing Jasprit Bumrah:

An emotional Virat Kohli spoke about Jasprit Bumrah's "phenomenal" performance to bring them back into the final. "Like everyone in the stadium [here], we also felt at one point if it is going to slip away again, but what happened in those [last] five overs was truly, truly special," Kohli said. "You know what I'd like everyone to do is applaud a guy who brought us back into games again and again and again in this tournament. What he did in those last five overs, bowling two out of the last five overs, was phenomenal. A huge round of applause for Jasprit Bumrah, please." 

When Gaurav Kapur, the presenter at the show, asked Kohli if he would sign a petition to make Bumrah the eighth wonder of the world, the batter said, "I'll do it right now."

Virat Kohli speaking on crying with Rohit Sharma:

The 'King' also shared his heartfelt sentiments with the 'Hitman' after India's T20 World Cup win in Barbados. "Rohit and I, we've been trying this for so long. We always wanted to win a World Cup. Bringing the trophy back to Wankhede is a very special feeling. We have been playing for the last 15 years and this is the first time I've seen Rohit so emotional - he was crying, I was crying, a hug between both of us - I will never forget that day," Kohli said.

After boos at the same venue, Hardik Pandya gets cheered:

Rohit Sharma credited Hardik Pandya for bowling a superb last over and sure enough, the Indian all-rounder was emotional. "Hats off to him for bowling that last over. No matter how many runs you need, there's always so much pressure to bowl that over. Hats off to him" said the skipper. 

This prompted chants of "Hardik! Hardik!" from the crowd, the same crowd that some months back was bashing and booing him. Pandya acknowledged the applause with a smile and a wave.

Rahul Dravid on the call he received:

The 'Wall' of Indian cricket revealed how a phone call from skipper Rohit Sharma stopped him from leaving his position after the World Cup final loss in 2023. "I wasn't really sure if I was going to continue after the 50-over World Cup and obviously there was great joy in having had a fantastic ODI World Cup, but also the disappointment of not crossing the line was there. For Rohit to pick up the phone and say, 'Rahul, let's have one more crack at it in 6 or eight months' time. It will be lovely to have a crack together," Rahul Dravid said. 

"I think that was the best phone call of my life," he added.

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