The nice Rahul Dravid was not his ordinary restrained self after India’s T20 World Cup glory and could not thank his wards sufficient for serving to him stay what he “wasn’t fortunate as a participant” to expertise — the heady feeling of being a world champion. With head coach Dravid watching the motion from the dugout, skipper Rohit Shama marshalled his assets superbly as India held their nerve to eke out a seven-run victory over South Africa in an exhilarating finale and win the T20 World Cup to finish an 11-year ICC title drought.
“I actually have felt wanting phrases over the previous few hours. I simply couldn’t be extra happy with this workforce, the best way we needed to struggle troublesome conditions,” Dravid mentioned after the triumph.
“Even right this moment I feel it was an awesome testimony… for the workforce to lose three wickets within the first six overs, to be within the sort of place we have been in, however the boys simply saved preventing, they saved believing.
“You understand, as a participant, I used to be not fortunate sufficient to win a trophy, however I attempted my finest each time I performed and it occurs, it is a part of sports activities,” the 51-year-old added.
The triumph within the Caribbean can also be a form of redemption for Dravid, beneath whose captaincy India endured a forgettable first-round exit within the 2007 ODI World Cup on this a part of the world.
However Dravid mentioned he would not imagine in phrases or issues like redemption, enjoying down his contribution because the workforce’s head coach.
“Firstly, there isn’t any redemption. I’m not a type of guys who thinks about redemption and people sort of issues. There are a whole lot of different gamers I do know who haven’t been capable of win a trophy.
“I used to be fortunate to be given the chance to educate, and I used to be fortunate that this bunch of boys made it attainable for me to have the ability to win a trophy and rejoice.
“Good feeling, nevertheless it’s not like I’m aiming for some redemption, it is only a job that I used to be doing. I cherished doing the job, I cherished working with Rohit and this workforce. It has been an awesome journey and I’ve actually loved it.” Dravid, whose tenure as India coach ends now, referred to as the title triumph the reminiscence of a lifetime.
“Simply phenomenal, simply pretty to be part of a dressing room like this. It is a reminiscence of a lifetime for me, so I’m grateful and grateful to the workforce and the assist employees who’ve made this attainable.” Dravid, one of many most interesting batsmen and ambassadors within the recreation’s historical past, mentioned he’s additionally not a lot into issues like legacy.
“I’m not a legacy particular person, I’m not on the lookout for legacies, I simply really feel glad that we might give our greatest. I feel I’ve been fortunate to have been working with an exceptionally skilled bunch, clever bunch of coaches and different assist employees who’ve made it attainable to create a implausible atmosphere.
“I’m glad {that a} little bit of luck has resulted on this trophy. I could not be happier for this workforce, and I could not be happier for thus lots of the Indian followers who’re popping out to those video games.”
His implausible equation with Rohit went a good distance in constructing the sort of environment wanted for a workforce to succeed on the prime stage. Each have super respect for one another and Rohit devoted the victory to Dravid.
Dravid mentioned he’ll miss Rohit the particular person most.
“I’ll miss him as an individual overlook the cricket, overlook the captain and the whole lot. I simply hope we are going to nonetheless be mates.
“I feel what’s actually impressed me in the entire these is the sort of particular person that he’s, the sort of respect he has proven me, the sort of care and dedication he has had for the workforce, the sort of vitality, and he has by no means backed down from it,” he mentioned.
“So, for me, it is the person who I’ll keep in mind essentially the most…he might be an awesome captain, he might be an awesome participant, he’ll win trophies however I feel it is the person who I’m most keen on,” Dravid was stuffed with admiration for the captain.
VIDEO | Head Coach Rahul Dravid signed off on a excessive after lifting the T20 World Cup. He says he’ll miss the captain Rohit Sharma as an individual.
“I am going to miss him (Rohit Sharma) as an individual. Neglect the cricket and the captain, I am going to miss him. Hope we nonetheless be mates. I feel what… pic.twitter.com/YX5JFoS5lU
— Press Belief of India (@PTI_News) June 30, 2024
He mentioned the trophy is a end result of two years of intense exhausting work and planning, refusing to limit it to a few weeks of enjoying glorious cricket.
“This can be a journey of (over) two years, this isn’t a journey of this T20 World Cup, the development of this workforce, the sort of abilities we wished, gamers we wished, discussions began after I began in September 2021.
“The steadiness that we wished within the workforce, two years of labor, this isn’t only a work of this World Cup, I feel it culminated on this World Cup, it has all come collectively right here on a good looking afternoon in Barbados,” Dravid mentioned.
On a lighter word, he mentioned, “I can transfer on shortly from this win, subsequent week I might be unemployed (laughs). I do not need to suppose too far forward, however sure, I hope, I can transfer on. I feel that is what life is all about.” Dravid expressed optimism about Indian cricket’s future and mentioned the workforce will obtain loads of success within the coming years.
“Right now’s gamers are implausible skills in Indian cricket. Their confidence, their vitality, they’re on a special stage at this level of time.
“We have now been attempting to win an ICC trophy for a very long time, and I’m very hopeful that they’ll carry this confidence ahead and assist Indian cricket win many extra trophies within the subsequent five-six years.
“The flexibility and expertise this bunch of boys have is super. There have been moments once we felt that we weren’t capable of win an enormous trophy regardless of giving our greatest. However right this moment, I can say with confidence, that they’ll proceed the great work and win extra trophies going forward,” Dravid signed off.
(Apart from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is printed from a syndicated feed.)
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