"Despite being offered the narrative, he turns it down in a classy manner" - Ashwin on Dravid humbly rejecting social campaign ahead of T20 WC Final
Veteran Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has hailed Rahul Dravid's ethics ahead of the crucial 2024 T20 World Cup final against South Africa. The Indian head coach recently disapproved the ongoing 'Do it for Dravid' campaign on social media, with the upcoming clash being his final one in charge of the Men in Blue.
Rahul Dravid's tenure as Team India head coach has been highlighted by the side's deep run in ICC events. The Men in Blue qualified for the semi-finals of the 2022 T20 World Cup, followed by three successive final appearances in the 2023 World Test Championship, the 2023 ODI World Cup, and now the 2024 T20 World Cup.
After India's semi-final win over England, Dravid was informed about the #DoItForDravid campaign, and true to his nature, he downplayed his presence in the grand scheme of things.
Ashwin lauded Dravid's comments over the ongoing social media campaign and felt that narratives around a single person in a team sport cannot bring any good.
"Narratives of building it up for someone in a team sport is the worst thing that can happen for a healthy team environment. I know this man really well and despite being offered the narrative, he turns it down in a classy manner. Let's fight once more," Ashwin wrote on X.
"It’s totally against who I am as a person and it’s totally against my values. You know, I don't really believe in this 'Do it for somebody'. I love that quote about somebody asking somebody else, 'Why do you want to climb Mount Everest?' and he says 'I want to climb Mount Everest because it's there. Why do we want to win this World Cup? because it's there," Dravid said in a video released by Star Sports.
"It's not for anyone, it's not for anybody, it's just there to win [World Cup]. I just want to play good cricket and yeah, doing it for someone is totally against who I am as a person and what I believe in so I don't want to talk about it and discuss it. If you can get that campaign removed, I will appreciate it," Dravid added.
Team India will take on South Africa in the 2024 T20 World Cup final at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on Saturday, June 29.
Rahul Dravid to step down as Team India head coach after 2024 T20 World Cup
The former India skipper has already announced that he will be leaving his role as head coach following the culmination of the ongoing tournament in the Caribbean. Dravid's tenure had originally ended after the 2023 ODI World Cup, but he accepted a short extension until the 2024 T20 World Cup.
The BCCI have already begun the hunt for a new head coach, and if reports are to be believed, former India player Gautam Gambhir is the frontrunner to take on the role. Dravid's successor will be in charge of all three formats on a three-year contract.