India team return to grand welcome

The Indian team, returning after winning the CB Series 2-0 in Australia, were given a rousing welcome with hundreds of fans greeting them at the Delhi airport. They were also received by officials of the Indian board and the Delhi and District Cricket Association.
After a fractious tour, the team reached Mumbai in the morning and took a chartered flight to Delhi, where a felicitation ceremony was held in the evening. Virat Kohli and Pradeep Sangwan, who play for Delhi and were part of the Under-19 side which clinched the World Cup, were also present at the ceremony.
Speaking at the function at a packed Feroz Shah Kotla, Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni praised his side which won the best-of-three finals for the first time ever. "I congratulate my team and the Under-19 boys as well," he said. "The conduct of my team on and off the field is responsible for our victory."
Sachin Tendulkar, who played match-winning knocks in both the finals, told news channel CNN-IBN that the team hadn't been distracted by the controversies during the tour. "Plenty of things happened on the field, but we were focussed on the cricket."
Rohit Sharma, who made a vital 66 in the first final, echoed Tendulkar's sentiments. "We tried to enjoy our cricket as much as possible," he said. "All the controversies motivated us."
The BCCI had initially planned an open-top bus parade from the airport, similar to the welcome the team had received after winning the World Twenty20, but decided against it later. "The players have been in Australia for more than two-and-a-half months and will also be tired after the two flights," BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla told PTI. "That's why we have not made any elaborate arrangements as the players will be eager to go home."
A reward of Rs 10 crore (US$2.5 million) had already been announced for the team.