5 best Rahul Dravid moments as India head coach
Life came to a full circle for Rahul Dravid, as he finally lifted an ICC title in the West Indies, albeit as a coach. The 2007 ODI World Cup saw the Dravid-led Indian team get knocked out of the tournament and fail to progress to the Super 8 stage.
Having served as the head coach of the Indian team since 2021, Dravid ended his tenure after 2024 T20 World Cup. According to reports, he decided to call it quits due to family commitments.
On that note, let's take a look at five best moments of Dravid's tenure as a head coach for the Indian team.
#1 Embracing Virat Kohli after 2022 T20 World Cup win against Pakistan in Melbourne
Virat Kohli produced his finest T20 knock of 82* off 53 balls against Pakistan in a high-voltage 2022 T20 World Cup clash in Melbourne. He stitched together a 113-run stand with Hardik Pandya (40) to secure a thrilling victory for the Indian team. The knock drew animated reactions all around the world from the cricket fraternity and fans.
Rahul Dravid couldn't help but praise Kohli for his heroic efforts to see India through in a charismatic way. He gave a warm hug to Kohli and offered words of appreciation for him.
#2 Coaching Indian team to WTC 2023 final
After India emerged as the runners-up in World Test Championship (WTC) 2021, they were expected to continue the rich form in the 2021-23 cycle as well. They certainly did that by drawing the away Test series against England, and winning a home red-ball series against Australia, Sri Lanka and New Zealand.
They faced a blip with an away loss against South Africa, but finished second on the WTC standings to book a place in the final. The summit clash saw India lose by 209 runs against Australia. However, the Indian team was praised for continuing their impressive form in the longest format.
#3 Taking Team India to 2023 World Cup final
The 2023 World Cup took place in India, which saw fans coming in large numbers to support the national team. The pressure to win the ICC title was mounting and fans wished to see the Men in Blue repeat the feat of 2011.
The Indian team was sensational and remained undefeated in nine group games to top the points table. Certainly, the Rohit Sharma-led side were the favorites to win the trophy. They overcame the challenge of New Zealand by 70 runs in the semifinal.
However, the summit clash saw India posting only 240 and then failing to defend the total. Although, there were many heartbreaks, the cricket fraternity and fans lauded the team's terrific run in the tournament.
#4 Negating Bazball threat and winning 4-1 against England
Much was expected of England when they toured India in the first quarter of 2024. The cricket experts rated the Bazball approach of England batters highly and were excited to see the team employing the same on Indian pitches.
Certainly, the visitors started off the series with a win and gave a hint of their positive intent in both innings. However, the old-school brilliance of Indian bowlers like Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja resulted in India busting England's bazball approach and winning the series 4-1.
Despite the absence of Virat Kohli and KL Rahul, India's relatively inexperienced batting line-up clubbed with experienced bowlers made the win possible.
"Proud of the team. To go behind in the first Test was disappointing but to bounce back was great. We have always found people to step up. In various situations we have been put under pressure," Dravid said in the post-match interview.
#5 Unleashing his emotions after winning 2024 T20 World Cup
After India's shattering 2023 World Cup defeat, fans pinned hope on the national team to end the ICC title drought in 2024 T20 World Cup. In this tournament as well, India progressed to the knockout stages, with an undefeated record.
They avenged their 2022 T20 World Cup defeat against England with a 68-run win in the semifinal. The finale saw a mouth-watering clash between India and South Africa in Barbados.
After India posted 176 on the board, the bowling unit was expected to defend it due to their impressive form. However, with 30 needed off as many balls, the Proteas were the definite favorites.
The likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh and Hardik Pandya formed a potent trio as they produced a remarkable turnaround to script a seven-run victory for India. The win certainly brought the entire country into jubilation and evoked emotion from the players and support staff.
Head coach Dravid passionately lifted the trophy during the celebration, which witnessed an outpouring of emotions from the former Indian captain. Moreover, he was seen having a wild celebration, while posing for a photo with the Indian contingent as well.
Certainly, Rahul Dravid's emotional outburst was a gift for his service to the nation, as he finally got to end his cricket career with an ICC trophy.