Outgoing Indian men's team head coach Rahul Dravid got emotional yet kept himself calm while giving his farewell speech to the team following the T20 World Cup 2024 triumph. Dravid's two and half years-long stint as the head coach of the Indian team came to an end with the former India captain not choosing to continue at the helm of the national side and it was a happy dressing room as after multiple disappointments during his tenure in the knockouts, the Indian team finally go across the line.
Dravid when he was initially appointed, the tenure was for two years from November 2021 till the end of the ODI World Cup last year, before he decided to extend it till the end of the recently concluded ICC Men's T20 World Cup. The now ex-head coach revealed that it was skipper Rohit Sharma's call that made him decide to stay and it has now resulted in a trophy for India.
"Thank you very much, Ro (Rohit), for making that call in November and asking me to continue," Dravid said in a dressing room video shared by the BCCI on social media. "It’s been such a privilege and a pleasure to work with each and every one of you, but also with Ro. Thank you for your time. I know as captain and coach, there are a lot of times we have to chat. We have to agree; we have to disagree. It’s been brilliant to know each and every one of you."
While talking about the team and the campaign, Dravid thanked the players and the rest of the support staff while urging the players to enjoy and party because the title was a result of a lot of sacrifices not just for them and their families.
“I am really short of words but all I want to say is thank you to everyone for making me a part of what is an incredible memory,” Dravid said. "I think all of you will remember these moments. It’s not about the runs, the wickets, you will not remember your career. But you will remember moments like these. I cannot be more prouder of you guys. To come back the way you did, the way you fought. The way we worked as a team. The resilience."
Dravid admitted that there has been disappointment in the past as far as the ICC events were concerned, especially the recent history but admitted that this felt very sweet and that the whole country was proud of how they came together to work for a collective cause. India's next coach is likely to be picked before the Sri Lanka series as VVS Laxman has travelled with the young players to Zimbabwe for the five-match T20 series.
