Indian skipper Rohit Sharma's eating a shard of soil from the pitch after winning the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 had taken social media by storm, triggering all sorts of comments from netizens.

India ended their drought of ICC trophy after 11 years by defeating South Africa by seven runs at Kensington Oval stadium in Bridgetown, Barbados, West Indies, on June 29.

Amid speculations on why Sharma consumed the soil while celebrating the victory, the captain himself has given an explanation on this emotional deed.

In an interview with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), he said it was actually hard to describe, but whatever was coming out it was candid and he just wanted to live for the moment.

"I don’t think I can describe that as nothing was scripted. Whatever was coming (out) instinctively I was feeling the moment when I went to the pitch, because that pitch gave us this (victory), we played on that particular pitch and we won the game on that particular ground as well," he said.

Sharma said since the pitch and stadium held a paramount importance for them as they won their World Cup final match here, therefore, he wanted to have its something with him.

“I will remember that ground forever in my life and that pitch as well. So, I wanted to have a piece of it with me.

“Yeah, those moments are very very special and the place where all our dreams came true, I wanted something of it.

“So that was the feeling behind it.”

It should be noted that famous tennis player Novak Djokovic has multiple times eaten grass from the court after winning matches.