Rahul Dravid reflected on leading India to the T20 World Cup win, describing the two-year journey of team building and skill development that ended in winning the trophy.
Rahul Dravid concluded his tenure as head coach of the Indian national men’s cricket team with pride, celebrating their 2024 T20 World Cup victory over South Africa by 7 runs at Barbados’s Kensington Oval. Known for his composed demeanor, Dravid visibly showed his emotions as India secured the title, enthusiastically cheering during the trophy lift at the podium.
Reflecting on the team’s journey over the past two years, he highlighted the meticulous construction of skills and player selection. Dravid, acknowledging his own career as a player without a major trophy, expressed gratitude for the coaching opportunity and credited the team for making the championship possible.
“This was a journey of 2 years, this T20 World Cup. The construction of this team and the kind of skills we wanted, the players we wanted. The discussions started when I started in 2021…this is not the work of just this World Cup…It feels like a journey of 2 years..,” Dravid said.
“As a player, I was not lucky enough to win a trophy but I gave my best…I was lucky enough to be given an opportunity to coach a team, I was lucky that this bunch of boys made it possible for me to be able to win this trophy. It is a great feeling, it is not like I was aiming for some redemption, it was the job I was doing…it has been a great journey…,” he added.
Under Rahul Dravid’s guidance, the Indian cricket team reached three consecutive ICC finals, including the World Test Championship and the ODI World Cup last year, falling short to Australia both times before finally clinching the trophy in Barbados. Dravid also expressed confidence in India’s future dominance in cricket, citing the exceptional talent, energy, and confidence of the current squad.
“The boys nowadays, there is fantastic talent in the Indian cricket team. Their energy and confidence is on another level at this time…in the coming times, India will win so many trophies, in the next 5-6 years…,” he said.
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Reflecting on Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s retirement decisions from T20 internationals, Dravid spoke warmly about Rohit, emphasizing his personal qualities, respect, dedication to the team, and unwavering commitment.
“…I will miss him as a person…what impresses me is the kind of person he is, the respect he has shown me, the kind of care and commitment he had for the team, the kind of energy he had to spent and he never backed down. For me, it will be the person I will miss the most…,” the coach concluded.
Last Updated on June 30, 2024
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