World Chess Champion Gukesh Dommaraju revealed what he had been feeling in the moments leading up to his victory in the 14th and final game of the World Chess Championship 2024 against China’s Ding Liren. In an exclusive chat with NDTV, Gukesh revealed his thoughts during the crunch match, spoke about the growing popularity of chess in India, about the role played by former Indian cricket mental conditioning coach Paddy Upton in his game, and how he shares a similarity with legendary India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

“I did not expect to win that final game because the position was heading towards a draw,” Gukesh told NDTV. “The objective was that it should end in a draw but when he made a mistake it was quite a nice moment,” Gukesh added.

Ding Liren had his fair share of chances during the World Chess Championship, notably winning Game 1 and Game 12. Gukesh, however, maintained his composure throughout, and won one more game than his opponent. He credited the role played by former Team India coach Paddy Upton in his form. Upton had been part of India’s setup when they lifted the 2011 World Cup.

“Work with Paddy has been very important for me. He has helped a lot in my emotional, physical and mental preparation for the match. There were a lot of suggestions, a lot of conversations which I gained a lot from,” said Gukesh.

Speaking on his impact in the rapidly rising popularity of chess in India, Gukesh said, “I could see a lot of kids taking interest in the game, a lot of parents and coaches doing a great job. I’m very happy to have been a part of this revolution in chess in India, and I hope it grows and we become stronger and stronger every day.”

Gukesh also revealed his admiration for former India captain MS Dhoni.

“I’m a huge fan of Dhoni sir and to be compared to him is a huge honor for me. I think he has this ability to stay calm under pressure, and I think I’m also quite good at that,” Gukesh said.

Following his victory, Gukesh is set to take on World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen in the Norway Chess 2025 tournament in May and June 2025.