Outgoing Team India head coach Rahul Dravid couldn't have asked for a better end to his coaching stint with the Men in Blue other than winning the T20 World Cup title. India's 11-year drought came to an end after they defeated South Africa by seven runs in the T20 World Cup 2024 Final.
The recently concluded T20 World Cup 2024 was the last assignment for Rahul Dravid and other coaches, including Vikram Rathour and Paras Mhambrey. The current coaching staff's contract was extended despite India's heartbreaking defeat against Australia in the ODI World Cup Final last year. With the T20 World Cup title, Rahul Dravid signed off as India coach on a positive note.
Speaking to the reporters after the T20 World Cup triumph, Rahul Dravid said that he will quickly move on from the win, while taking a cheeky dig at himself by mentioning that he will be unemployed from next week.
"Yeah, I will quickly move on from this win. Next week my life will be same. I will be unemployed from next week, so any offers? (laughs). I mean it's great moment and 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 said.
Dravid assumed his coaching duties with Team India after Ravi Shastri's stint came to an after T20 World Cup 2021, where the Men in Blue were knocked out from the first round. Under the Rahul Dravid's guidance, Team India reached the finals of World Test Championship and ODI World Cup last year, but lost both to Australia.
India reached the semifinals of the 2022 T20 World Cup semifinal, but got defeated by the eventual champions England.
'Just could not be more proud of this team': Rahul Dravid
Rahul Dravid said that he was falling short of words to describe India's triumph at the T20 World Cup 2024, adding that he was happy for Rohit Sharma and his boys for making the dream into reality.
"I really have felt short of words over the last few hours. I just could not be more proud of this team, the way we had to fight difficult situations,” Dravid said after the triumph." Ex-India coach said.
“Even today I think it was a great testimony… for the team to lose three wickets in the first six overs, to be in the kind of position we were in, but the boys just kept fighting, they kept believing," he added.
Before becoming the head coach of Team India, Rahul Dravid served as head coach at National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. The former India captain was also the coach of U-19 India team that won the U-19 World Cup in 2017.
