An emotional Rohit Sharma has revealed that he convinced Rahul Dravid to extend his stay as Team India's coach ahead of their T20 World Cup 2024 opener against Ireland on Wednesday in New York. The right-handed batter revealed that he thoroughly enjoyed his time with Dravid.
During a presser on Monday, the former Indian captain declared that he won't be re-applying for the role due to the schedules and commitments. Dravid took over from Ravi Shastri after India's group-stage exit from the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE. The former Indian captain has done a decent job, but has failed to break the Men in Blue's ICC trophy jinx so far. Hence, the 2024 T20 World Cup is his final chance.
During a press conference on Tuesday, Rohit said, as quoted by Cricbuzz:
"I tried convincing Dravid to stay. But, personally, enjoyed my time with him. I am not going to say anything more."
"Such a big role model for all of us growing up" - Rohit Sharma on Rahul Dravid
Rohit further claimed that the 51-year-old has set an example for plenty of upcoming cricketers, inspiring players to bounce back from difficult situations. The veteran suggested that he has learnt countless things from Dravid.
"Look, my equation with him goes a long way, a long way back from the time he came to do this job. Actually he was my first international captain when I made my debut in Ireland. And such a big role model for all of us growing up. We watched him play and we know what he's achieved personally as a player and also what he's done for the team over the years. Battling out the team from difficult situations. That is what he is known for. He's shown a lot of determination throughout his career. And that is something that when he came here as a coach, you know, I wanted to learn from him."
Dravid will certainly look to leave the Indian team on a high.
