Bridgetown (Barbados): Head Coach Rahul Dravid may not believe in redemptions and legacies, but the glory that Team India achieved under him by lifting the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean where he, as skipper, had suffered the humiliation of being sent back home by a callow Bangladesh, left him bereft of words.
Dravid, who would be the third biggie to retire after Sharma and Kohli, had a long and successful career as Team India’s coach. Under him, India lost two World Cups, the 50-over one in the Final and the 2022 in the T20 one.
It was unusual for Dravid to animatedly talk, roar and thump on the Cup in celebratory mode. The Wall is naturally super quiet but this was one for the ages for him. As the boys carried him on their shoulders in a victory lap, he laughed loudly, thumped his fists in the air and became, well, very UnDravid-like.
Perhaps it was the occasion or, it was his change of demeanour to keep up with the levels of “aaj kal ke ladkey” to somehow communicate with them at their level.
“They are a fantastic young talent. Their energy and confidence are of another level. We were waiting for an ICC trophy for so long but in the next five years India will bring in many more trophies. We had been working very hard but were not being able to cross that turn. But after today, I am confident that these young boys will win many other trophies,” he said.
"The win, he admitted, had put him in the rare zone of being short of words. I am usually not short of words but I know for the last few hours I am. I could not be more proud of this team, and the way we had to fight difficult situations. Even today is a testament to the fight, losing three early wickets in the first six overs, to be in a position we were in, 30 balls to go for 30 runs, but the boys just kept believing."
As head of the coaching staff, he said, he felt grateful “that I am getting to enjoy this moment because of what they have done in pressure situations."
Talking about his career as batter and captain ending without any Cup to take home, Dravid said, “as a player I was not lucky enough to win a trophy but I tried my best. It is part of sport. A lot many other players have not been able to bring the trophy. I am not a legacy person. I am just glad that we could do what we did. I am glad I was a part of this dressing room and worked with Rohit and this team,” Dravid said.
He thanked his support staff saying they were a hard-working, intelligent bunch that he led.
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