T20 World Cup 2024 Why the ICC trophy is the biggest parting gift for Dravid. Photo:
In a video released by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) about the journey of Indian cricket team head coach Rahul Dravid, he says, “I really enjoyed it, I think it has been a great learning experience for me .”
He further explains, “The kind of people I’ve had the pleasure of working with, including my coaching staff and support staff, I think they’re some of the fondest memories I take back with me. Those connections are going to last a little longer after I make some results, including the wins and the losses, I have forgotten and remembered.”
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An eventful coaching trajectory in the words of #TeamIndia Head Coach Rahul Dravid, who highlights the moments created away from the cricket field
—BCCI (@BCCI) June 28, 2024
For someone who has dedicated his life to learning and shuns outcomes, Dravid did extremely well as a player and coach. But the fact that he has not had success in an ICC tournament is a loss, not personally for him, but for all the people in the country who love the gentleman’s game.
When did Dravid come close to winning the ICC trophy?
Dravid was part of the Indian team for the ICC Knockout Trophies and the World Cups in 1999 and 2003. However, India failed to win these events. He made brilliant contributions in all these tournaments, even changing his role from a pure batsman to a wicketkeeper-batsman for the sake of the team combination, always keeping the team first and himself second.
Dravid’s career in ICC tournaments
| ICC tournament | Mat | Inns | NO | 100s | 50’s | 4s | 6 years | HS | runs | Average | S/R | Approx | Saint |
| 1997-1998 Akai-Singer Champions Trophy | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 68.89 | 0 | 0 |
| ICC World Cup 1999 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 49 | 1 | 145 | 461 | 65.86 | 85.53 | 2 | 0 |
| 2000-2001 ICC Knock-Out | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 19 | 0 | 68* | 157 | 52.33 | 74.41 | 1 | 0 |
| ICC Champions Trophy 2002-2003 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 71 | 120 | 60 | 81.08 | 5 | 0 |
| ICC World Championship 2002-2003 | 11 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 21 | 1 | 62 | 318 | 63.6 | 64.11 | 15 | 1 |
| 2004 ICC Champions Trophy | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 67 | 97 | 97 | 78.23 | 3 | 0 |
| ICC Champions Trophy 2006-2007 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 52 | 105 | 35 | 78.95 | 3 | 0 |
| ICC World Cup 2006-2007 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 60 | 81 | 40.5 | 72.32 | 0 | 0 |
| ICC Champions Trophy 2009-2010 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 76 | 80 | 40 | 76.19 | 2 | 0 |
| Total | 40 | 35 | 9 | 2 | 12 | 129 | 4 | 145 | 1450 | 55.76 | 31 | 1 |
However, he was given charge of the team in the 2007 ODI World Cup and to this date that remains India’s worst ever performance in an ODI World Cup since lifting the cup for the first time in 1983. That was in the West Indies and so it will be perfect timing to try and create a new memory for the Wall of Indian Cricket to commemorate the West Indies.
Sudden retirement from white ball cricket
After Dravid voluntarily opted out of the 2007 T20 World Cup and was sidelined from the ODI competition after the 2009 Champions Trophy, he announced in August 2011, following a surprise recall during the ODI series against England, his retirement from both the ODIs and Twenty20 International (T20I).
It was in 2011 that India managed to win the ODI World Cup after a gap of 28 years. Once again Dravid missed out. In March 2012, he announced his retirement from international and first-class cricket.
Did it as U19 coach
While he was unable to win the World Cup as a player, Dravid did it as a coach in 2018 after failing to do so in the 2016 Under-19 World Cup when the Ishan Kishan-led team lost to West in the final India. .
As a coach, Dravid could not win the ICC Test Championship, nor the 2022 T20 World Cup and the 2023 ODI World Cup. But he got the chance to repeat the Under-19 feat in the T20 World Cup format and it was no surprise when he repeated the feat.
The cup would not be a possessive gift for Dravid, who wants to enjoy the moments and learn from them rather than dwell on the losses and victories, but it would be a tribute from the cricket-loving fraternity to a solid gentleman who gave his all for the game he loved. Good boys finish first, and so it should be for this wall of Indian cricket.
First print: June 29, 2024 | 11:57 PM IST