WATCH Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma Toss Rahul Dravid In Air As India Coach Bids Farewell With Champions’ Medal
New Delhi: Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma took the initiative to toss Rahul Dravid in the air as a part of celebrations as the latter bid farewell with a champions’ medal around his neck after India defeated South Africa to clinch the T20 World Cup 2024 title in Barbados on Saturday. The win also ended India’s ICC trophy drought after 11 years and brought home the second T20 World Cup title after MS DHoni won it for the first time in 2007.
Like all the players, it was a special day for Dravid too, who finally got hold of an ICC World Cup trophy in his third attempt. He was a part of the Sourav Ganguly-led Indian team that became 2003 runners-up to Australia. 20 years later, Dravid was a part of the Indian support staff when Rohit Sharma’s men couldn’t breach the final hurdle at home last November, against Australia.
Following the win, both Kohli and Rohit, who announced their T20I retirements, took the initiative and along with other players air lifted Dravid and tossed him quite e few times in celebration. In fact, the world probably saw the emotional side of Dravid for ages as the former India captain brought his animated version out with the winners’ trophy at hand.
They are making it extra special for Dravid. Kohli behind the planning. pic.twitter.com/dhe4wUoPYV
— ∆ (@CaughtAtGully) June 29, 2024
Speaking to the media after the win, Dravid felt lucky enough to be given an opportunity to coach the Indian team and thanks his boys who made it possible for him. “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…”
“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…,” Dravid said.
After Dravid came onto board, India’s graph went high as they played in the semifinals of the 2022 T20 World Cup and finals of World Test Championship and ODI World Cup, both in last year. Known as ‘The Wall’, Dravid also opined this Indian cricket team will dominate in coming years.
“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.