Hyderabad: India ended their campaign in the T20 World Cup 2024 recently on a high as the team outplayed South Africa by seven runs in a thrilling final to lift the silverware. Rahul Dravid was the head coach of the Indian team and it was a perfect ending to the right-handed batter’s coaching career. Dravid never won a World Cup during his playing days but he guided the team to a glory run in the T20 World Cup.
Reflecting on Dravid’s emotional celebration after India’s T20 World Cup victory, spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has stated that it was his favourite moment from the tournament.
"My moment was when Virat Kohli called Rahul Dravid and gave the cup... I saw him hug the cup and cry. Rahul Dravid screamed and cried. I saw him enjoy it. I felt that a lot,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
Dravid was appointed as the head coach in October 2021. During his tenure, India made it to the final of the World Test Championship 2021-23 but lost against Australia in the title decider. Men in Blue also reached the final of the ODI World Cup 2023 at home but faltered in the final against Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The trophy drought finally came to an end when India won the T20 World Cup 2024 on June 29.
Dravid didn’t re-apply for the position and Gautam Gambhir took over the responsibility. Ashwin praised Dravid saying he was there working relentlessly with the team in spite of facing adversities as a player and a coach citing an example of early elimination from the 2007 ODI World Cup.
"I want to talk about a person who is sacred. 2007, 50-over World Cup. India gets knocked out. Rahul Dravid, the captain at that point in time. He does not captain the one-day side after that. He has been with the Indian team. If something does not go well, if the Indian team goes out, if they lose a match, immediately, they ask what Dravid is doing," said Ashwin.
"I know what he has been doing with this team for the past two-three years. I know how balanced he has been. I know how hard he has worked to change this approach. I know what he has given each of his players. Even when he is just sitting at home, he has been planning how to do this and that," the star off-spinner concluded.
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