"You don't plan these things" - Rahul Dravid opens up on his emotional celebrations after India's T20 World Cup triumph
Former Indian head coach Rahul Dravid claimed that he had not planned to show any of the emotions that came out during his 2024 T20 World Cup celebrations with the Indian team. The Men in Blue beat South Africa in the final by seven runs to end their 11-year wait for an ICC trophy.
Dravid asserted that as a coach, he always looked after the fact that he had his emotions in check. However, he opened up about the hard work that the players and other members of the coaching staff had put in and felt the celebration was just a release of those emotions.
Rahul Dravid said on Star Sports:
"You don't plan these things. In most times, I try to keep my emotions in check as a coach and you are expected to do that. But at that time, I felt really happy for the team. I felt happy for the boys. I felt happy for the support staff. So many people who had worked really hard along with me."
Dravid did not extend his contract as India's head coach after the T20 World Cup citing family commitments.
Need a little bit of destiny to work your way: Rahul Dravid
Rahul Dravid also highlighted how close the Men in Blue had come to winning several other ICC tournaments under his tenure. He felt that destiny was perhaps not on their side in those moments, but it shone on them during the T20 World Cup final.
"I had been with the team for 2.5-3 years and we had come close a few times, whether it be the semifinals of the last T20 World Cup in Australia, the World Test Championship final or the 50-over World Cup final in India, and we were just not able to cross the line in those critical moments. In those situations you need a little bit of luck, a little bit of destiny to work your way and that day it was with us," he stated in the same conversation.
India seemed destined to win the T20 World Cup as the turnaround was incredible with South Africa at one point needing just 27 runs to win off 28 balls with six wickets in hand.