Rahul Dravid’s cricketing journey has been a remarkable tale of resilience and triumph. Known as “The Wall” for his unwavering defense, Dravid was a batting maestro who played countless match-winning innings for India. Despite his illustrious 16-year playing career, Dravid’s trophy cabinet lacked an ICC title.
However, destiny had a special plan for him. After retiring as a player, Dravid took over as coach of Team India. Under his guidance, Rohit Sharma and his team clinched the T20 World Cup 2024 trophy, India’s first ICC title in 11 years.
The World Cup final, where India defeated South Africa, was Dravid’s last game as coach. The team rewarded him with the ultimate farewell gift, and during the trophy collection, fans witnessed a rare sight: the usually composed Dravid immersed in a wild celebration.
The 51-year-old, known for his calm demeanor, opened up about the moment at the CEAT Awards. “We strived to achieve something together. When you come at the end of it, you have moments like that. It’s great to celebrate,” he said.
However, Dravid admitted that he tries to hide his exuberant celebrations from his sons, Samit and Anvay. “I try to avoid showing that to my children, thinking I’ve gone mad or something,” he said.
“But yeah, I was always telling the boys we got to maintain our balance, and remain cool, not go up and down with results. Thank god it was my last game, otherwise after that, they would have said ‘you’re saying one thing but doing something else’,” he added.
Dravid’s son, Samit, recently earned a spot in India’s Under-19 squad for the Australia series. The three-match one-day series will be held in Puducherry in September.
