Rahul Dravid’s tenure at the helm of team India ended on a high with the T20 World Cup triumph over South Africa at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on Saturday.
The former India captain who took over as head coach in November 2021, finally had his hands on an ICC trophy having failed to clinch a title during his playing days. Dravid’s last stint as ODI captain had ended in a group-stage exit for India during the 2007 World Cup in West Indies.
The title marked Dravid’s most significant title as India’s head coach over a nearly three-year tenure where the team had finished runners-up in the 2023 World Test Championship final and the 2023 ODI World Cup at home.
“I am really short of words but all I want to say is thank you to everyone for making me a part of what is an incredible memory,” Dravid said in the India dressing-room shortly after the final.
“I think all of you will remember this moments. It’s not about the runs, the wickets, you will not remember your career. But you will remember moments like these. I cannot be more prouder of you guys. To come back the way you did, the way you fought. The way we worked as a team. The resilience,” Dravid said in a video shared by the BCCI.
“There have been a few disappointments over the years where we have come close but we have not been able to cross the line. But what this bunch of boys has done, everyone in the support staff has done. The whole country is proud of each and every one of you on what you have achieved. There are so many sacrifices each of you have made. To see your families here today and so many of your families back home, think of all the sacrifices every one of them have made since the time you were kids. For you to be here in the dressing-room today, your parents, wives, children, brothers, your coaches. So many people have made so many sacrifices for you to enjoy this memory, this moment,” Dravid added.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗙𝗮𝗿𝗲-𝗪𝗔𝗟𝗟! 🫡
The sacrifices, the commitment, the comeback 🏆
📽️ #TeamIndia Head Coach Rahul Dravid‘s emotional dressing room speech in Barbados 👌👌 #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/vVUMfTZWbc
— BCCI (@BCCI) July 2, 2024
‘Thank you, Ro’
Dravid also thanked skipper Rohit Sharma for encouraging him to extend his tenure as coach after India’s ODI World Cup final defeat to Australia in Ahmedabad last November.
“Thank you very much, Ro (Rohit), for making that call in November and asking me to continue. It’s been such a privilege and a pleasure to work with each and every one of you, but also with Ro. Thank you for your time. I know as captain and coach, there are a lot of times we have to chat. We have to agree; we have to disagree. It’s been brilliant to know each and every one of you,” Dravid remarked.
India are set to see a major overhaul in the T20I side with Rohit, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja also announcing their retirements. Earlier on Monday, BCCI secretary Jay Shah had revealed that Dravid did not intend to seek another term as head coach due to family commitments.
“He told me that due to family commitments he wants to quit and we respect his decision. I didn’t forced him to extend,” Shah told reporters in Barbados.
“Rahul bhai has served Indian cricket for the past five and half years. He was director of the National Cricket Academy for three years and then for the past two and half years, he served as head coach of Team India. Rahul Dravid’s role is as important as Rohit Sharma in this T20 World Cup title triumph. He is a man, who took the team to the 2023 ODI World Cup final and didn’t wanted to leave because he wanted to finish the job,” Shah added.
