Rahul Dravid : The Wall Leaves On A High With Legacy Hard To Match

Picture : BCCI/ X

India’s historic second T20 World Cup win in 2024 came after 17- year wait . The first was in 2007 in South Africa. With this win the Men in Blue finally ended their 11- year ICC trophy Jinx  too. The last was the  Champions trophy in 2013.

The win in Barbados against South Africa was  an apt fitting  farewell for  batting legend – Rahul Dravid , who ended his  stint as Head Coach on high . Nothing could be more better for the player Known as ‘The Wall’ Of Indian cricket.

When India lost the 2023 ICC 50 over World Cup on November 19th at Ahmedabad to Australia after a superb run in the tournament winning all but except the final, critics were out in all force . Questioned were raised on the Team chosen. Rohit Sharma – Rahul Dravid combination as captain , coach were mocked . Experts constantly compared the aggressive run under Ravi Shastri and Virat Kohli. And Dravid who succeeded Ravi Shastri  was said to be over hyped was not able to deliver. The twin losses in the 2022 T20 World Cup semis ,a 10- wicket- loss to England in Adelaide and later at the WTC final  to Australia in 2023  gave more fuel to critics to mock his coaching ability.

But  Dravid  kept cool and like he was in his playing days took the disappointments in his stride and his famous dressing room speech after the  win at Kensington Oval  showed the other side  of his – statesman .  The speech went viral .  Dravid was candid enough to  say it was the phone call by skipper Rohit Sharma  after the loss in 19th November 2023 final to Australia asking him to have last crack at an ICC trophy changed his mind and he continued as coach till the T20WorldCup24 in West Indies and USA.

Being modest and humble has ben Rahul Dravid’s forte and his attribute that makes him such a great ambassador of the game. Be fore the final he did not approve the #doitforDravid campaign and dismissed that the  World Cup win was sort of redemption for him . India then captained by Rahul Dravid , had crashed out of the 2007 ICC 50 over World Cup in the group stage with losses to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. So the win in  Barbados was something really special. Something he will cherish forever.

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And the  sheer delight and the screaming  Dravid  did , unlike his nature after Virat Kohli asked him to lift aloft the T20World Cup24 trophy said it all. What it meant to him.

Dravid  had a two and half year tenure as Head coach and under him  India had become  number 1 in all three formats . Reaching three consecutive TCC World Cup finals is no joke – 2023 WTC final, 2023 ICC 50 Over World Cup and finally a win T20WorldCup 2024. It was a phenomenal achievement and shows the determination and consistency of the team .

Dravid came  in  a head coach with stints as India U- 19 (  2018 World Cup win) , India-A  and tenures with Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Capitals in the IPL unlike Ravi Shastri . Shastri was at the helm for combined total of seven years.  And Dravid did not hesitate to take tough calls – asking wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha to move on.  Dropping Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara among others in the longer format. And looking beyond  Ishant Sharma in the pace department.  His words of motivation to Kl Rahul and Shubman Gill  after the duo missed out the T20WorldCup24 campaign.

And in the playing eleven in T20WorldCup24,  Dravid stuck to his and  Skipper Rohit Sharma’s  strategy resisting pressures to play Sanju Samson, Yashasvi  Jaiswal, Yuzvendra Chahal. And yes, backing superstar Virat Kohli going through a lean patch during the T20WorldCup24 in the league  games. And predicted something big from King Kohli in the final which the master obliged by his match- winning 76.

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Team India moved on seamlessly from Kohli- Shastri era to Rohit- Dravid combination . And it was matter of time and patience that the duo would click. Both  shared great rapport, had great mutual admiration  for each other. It made maters easier. Both had the same cool  , calm steely will to win . And hence it is  truly fascinating to see   the duo having the last laugh. Nice guys do finish first !

Rahul Dravid  had made team India under his stint as head coach like family, there was good happy dressing room atmosphere . Players were happy to have him around. The respect  he commanded from players was all to see  when he was lifted by Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and others after the  win in the final . Each player knew his role and  also his place in the playing eleven. The message was loud and  clear.  These seems small but go a long way in making a team successful.

Picture : BCCI/ X

There were doubts how Dravid would handle the dressing room scene with Hardik Pandya ( named deputy) for the mega event to Rohit Sharma. More so given the way fans booed Hardik Pandya’s elevation as Mumbai Indians Skipper  replacing Rohit in Tata IPL 2024.   But Dravid handled the tension with aplomb . And Hardik it was who bowled the final over to help India the title. It was fairytale ending.

Lastly, Whoever becomes the next head coach after Rahul Dravid has his task cut out surely .  The Wall has left a wonderful legacy of team spirit and brotherhood  . The onus is now to continue ahead.  That’s the way for the Men in Blue.