“Is it that Dravid is not a good role model?” - Indian legend’s massive claim on Gautam Gambhir after 2025 Champions Trophy win
Former Indian opener Sunil Gavaskar questioned whether head coach Gautam Gambhir would follow in the footsteps of his predecessor Rahul Dravid after the side's 2025 Champions Trophy triumph. Gavaskar's remarks were about Dravid denying the additional bonus amount and settling for the same as the other support staff after India's 2024 T20 World Cup victory.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) awarded the Indian team a bonus of ₹58 crores for their Champions Trophy win. However, the exact splits for Gambhir and the rest are yet to be revealed.
Writing about the same in his column for Sportstar, Gavaskar said:
"It’s been a fortnight since the BCCI announced the Champions Trophy rewards, but we haven’t heard anything from the current coach on whether he will also do a Dravid. Or is it that Dravid, in this instance, is not a good role model?"
He added:
"After the ICC T20 World Cup win and the Board announcement of prize money, the then-coach Rahul Dravid, ever the team man, refused to accept more than his fellow members of the coaching staff and, in fact, shared it equally with his colleagues."
The Champions Trophy win was a massive relief for Gambhir after India suffered back-to-back Test series defeats to New Zealand at home and Australia down under. The Men in Blue played near-flawless cricket, winning all three group stage games, followed by the semifinal and final of the tournament.
"This is truly fantastic" - Sunil Gavaskar
Sunil Gavaskar lauded the BCCI for their additional incentives to the Indian team for success in major ICC events. After a decade-long drought in ICC tournaments, India has now won consecutive events with the T20 World Cup last year and the recently concluded Champions Trophy.
"This is truly fantastic, as the Board, which is now awash with funds, is showing its appreciation for the efforts put in by everybody and rewarding them generously. The BCCI is also letting the players keep the prize money that the ICC announced for the winners, which is also a good amount each," wrote Gavaskar.
He concluded:
"Now, after our boys won the Champions Trophy, the BCCI announced a whopping ₹58 crore for the squad and the support staff and selection committee. In July last year, after the stirring victory in the ICC T20 World Cup, the BCCI announced ₹125 crore for the squad, support staff, and selectors."
Despite the white-ball dominance, India fell off in Test cricket last year, resulting in them missing the 2025 World Test Championship (WTC) final for the first time in tournament history.