Rahul Dravid (center) celebrates with T20 World Cup trophy. (AP Photo)
Even Dravid himself couldn’t believe how his emotions overtook him, as the ex-Indian coach recalled the iconic moment and jokingly talked about how he was glad his children couldn’t give him stick for the same.
It still remains fresh in our memories: the visual of India’s beloved Rahul Dravid being handed the trophy that had eluded him all through his career, a World Cup, from Virat Kohli himself as the ex-Indian coach lifted it in jubilation. Talk about a perfect farewell.
Having suffered ‘being the bridesmaid, but never the bride’ as India slumped to a heartbreaking defeat in the 2023 ODI World Cup, it was serendipity for Dravid to have achieved the feat in his very last moments as the Indian coach.
The moment was so incomprehensibly moving that an usually calm, cool and collected Dravid himself could not hold back but yell in a primal manner, having finally attained the peace of having achieved the highest honour in international cricket.
Even Dravid himself couldn’t believe how his emotions overtook him, as the ex-Indian coach recalled the iconic moment and jokingly talked about how he was glad his children couldn’t give him stick for the same.
“We strived to achieve something together. When you come at the end of it, you have moments like that. It’s great to celebrate. I try to avoid showing that to my children, thinking I’ve gone mad or something. 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’,” Dravid said at the CEAT Awards.
What’s #RahulDravid up to after coaching Team India? Watch as the former Indian head coach talks about the story behind his unexpected celebration and shares his future plans!
Watch the Full episode – CEAT Cricket Awards on YouTube channel pic.twitter.com/sVgO1ak3RV
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) September 3, 2024
The moment was special for an entire nation and their 11 players, as upon being reminded of the T20 WC Final, ex-skipper Rohit Sharma had also admitted that the feeling was something that “can not come every day.”
“When we won the T20 World Cup, it was important for all of us to enjoy that moment which we did pretty well. And thanks to our nation as well for celebrating with us because as much as it meant for us, it meant a lot to the entire nation as well. So, it felt great to bring the trophy back home and celebrate with everyone here,” Rohit said at the CEAT Cricket Awards.
The victory at the 2024 T20 World Cup put an end to India’s 11-year-long wait for an ICC trophy. Rohit, however, is in no mood to stop and wants his team to “strive for better things.”
He aims to replicate the success in the upcoming ICC events like the Champions Trophy and the next World Test Championship (WTC) final (should India qualify).
