How Rahul Dravid cleared his MBA papers and then became the best batsman at the 1999 World Cup
Former chairman of the selection committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) MSK Prasad recalled the time when Rahul Dravid cleared all papers and got himself an MBA degree after he was dropped from India’s ODI squad towards the end of the 20th century.
In an exclusive chat with Indranil Basu on Sportskeeda’s Facebook page, MSK Prasad revealed how the former India captain turned things around for himself by not only clearing all exams but also becoming the leading run-getter at the 1999 World Cup that followed.
“He was doing MBA and because of his international cricket, he was not getting that particular time to finish off his other papers. So, in between, he had six months of break from Indian cricket [because] he was dropped from the ODI side. So, he came back [and] he finished all his 13 papers during that time,” MSK Prasad, who played cricket with Rahul Dravid from the under-15 level, said.
MSK Prasad lauded Rahul Dravid’s hard work
When quizzed about Rahul Dravid’s work ethic and determination, MSK Prasad said that he used to share an apartment with the Karnataka lad and what stood out was his hard work.
He added that Rahul Dravid was so disappointed at getting axed from the Indian team that he channelized all his anger into his studies.
“Apart from studying I know how everyday in the morning how much he used to work hard because we were also in the same flat. How he used to work hard...I can feel the pain in him. So he showed all his anger [on his exams]. He eventually completed MBA with 75 or 80 percent and eventually he found a place in the Indian team again and he went on to become the batsman of the World Cup,” MSK Prasad, who played six Tests and 17 ODIs for India, said.
Even though India could not progress beyond the Super Sixes stage at the 1999 World Cup, Rahul Dravid emerged as the highest run-scorer. In eight matches, he scored 461 runs at an average of 65.85, which was studded with two hundreds and three fifties.
More impressively though, that display came on the back of Rahul Dravid acing his MBA exams, just months after being omitted from the Indian ODI outfit.
And, the management skills acquired then are now being put to use, with him currently running the National Cricket Academy (NCA), having previously guided India’s U-19 team to World Cup glory in 2018.