[Watch] 2024 T20 World Cup-winning coach Rahul Dravid receives guard of honor at a cricket academy in Bengaluru
Rahul Dravid, who served as the head coach of Team India at the 2024 T20 World Cup, received a hero’s welcome at a cricket academy in Bengaluru on Tuesday, July 9. The 51-year-old finally ended India's trophy drought after guiding them to a third ICC final in 12 months following the 2023 ODI World Cup and 2023 World Test Championship finals.
In a video doing the rounds on X, Dravid was seen receiving a guard of honor from budding cricketers at an academy in Bengaluru. The former India captain was moved by the special gesture.
Watch the video below:
Rahul Dravid was celebrated jubilantly by the Indian players following the 2024 T20 World Cup final win. India captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli welcomed him at the podium to celebrate with the trophy before tossing him in the air.
“I don’t want to think too far ahead” – Rahul Dravid on his future
Rahul Dravid joked that he would be unemployed following his tenure as Team India's coach and that he didn't want to think too far ahead. He told PTI (via Livemint):
“I will be able to move on quickly from this win, next week I will be unemployed (laughs). I don't want to think too far ahead, but yes, I hope, I will be able to move on. I think that's what life is all about.”
Dravid recently revealed that he had no plans to continue as head coach after the 2023 ODI World Cup final heartbreak, but skipper Rohit Sharma convinced him to stay on till the 2024 T20 World Cup. Speaking at the BCCI’s felicitation ceremony at Wankhede Stadium, the 51-year-old said (via The Times of India):
"I mean, I wasn't sure if I was going to continue after the 50-Over World Cup, and obviously, there was a great joy of having had a fantastic campaign but also a little bit of disappointment in the final that we could not get over the line.”
"For Rohit to pick up the phone and say, 'Rahul, let's have one more crack at it in six or eight months' time. It will be lovely to have a crack at it together'. I am so thankful because I had the chance to work with an exceptionally great bunch of boys. But also experience what I have experienced in Barbados and to experience what I have done here. Truly grateful and probably one of the best phone calls that I have received in my life," Dravid added.
Rahul Dravid is likely to spend the immediate future with his family and mentoring his two kids Samit and Anvay, who are budding cricketers.