Rahul Dravid received a hero’s welcome and a guard of honour from young cricketers at a local cricket academy in Bengaluru, celebrating his entry as a World Cup-winning coach. Young talents and coaching staff paid tribute to the former India coach by raising their bats and giving rousing applause. Dravid, all smiles, happily shook hands with everyone, appreciating the warm reception. His guidance was pivotal in India lifting the T20 World Cup 2024.
Dravid made his international debut in 1996 and played for India until 2012. Despite missing out on a World Cup victory as a player and enduring heartbreaks in the 2007 World Cup as captain and the 2023 World Cup as coach, Dravid fulfilled his dream by leading India to the T20 World Cup victory in 2024. This triumph marked his last stint as the Indian team’s coach.
In a video posted by the Bengaluru cricket academy, Dravid expressed his joy in returning to the ground to nurture young talents. Dravid’s animated celebration during the victory parade and his passion while lifting the World Cup trophy showcased the significance of this win for him.
Rohit Sharma, the World Cup-winning captain, paid tribute to Dravid in the post-match press conference, emphasizing that Dravid deserved the World Cup trophy more than anyone else. “What he has done for Indian cricket for the past 20–25 years… I think this was the only thing left in his cabinet. We are all very happy that we could do this for him,” Rohit said.
