T20 World Cup 2024 – Rahul Dravid – India’s win a ‘nice testomony to the battle within the group’

“We’ve got implausible expertise in Indian cricket proper now,” Dravid mentioned after the ultimate. “The vitality and confidence the gamers have is at one other stage. We had been aiming for an ICC trophy for a very long time and I’m positive the group will carry this confidence ahead and can win numerous trophies within the subsequent 4, 5, six years as a result of the power and expertise this bunch has… they lack nothing.

“There was a second once we had been feeling that we had been working actually arduous and taking part in good cricket as properly however we weren’t in a position to cross that hurdle. However after at this time I’m very hopeful that these boys will take it ahead and win numerous trophies.”

Dravid took over from Ravi Shastri in November 2021. His preliminary time period was for 2 years, which was then prolonged until T20 World Cup 2024. Underneath him, final yr, India made it to the finals of the World Check Championship and the ODI World Cup, however the trophy eluded them. Till Saturday, the final ICC title they’d received was the Champions Trophy in 2013.

When requested about India’s preparation for the T20 World Cup, Dravid mentioned, “Truthfully, this can be a journey of two years. This isn’t a journey from simply this T20 World Cup. After I take into consideration the development of this group, the form of abilities we wished, the gamers we wished, these discussions began in September [November] 2021.

“So it is two years of labor. This isn’t a piece of simply this World Cup. I feel it culminated on this World Cup. The frustration in Australia [at the 2022 T20 World Cup] after which the one-day World Cup – there’s a lot that has gone into it. This looks like a journey of not only one month, it looks like a journey of two years. What we have tried to construct, what we’ve got tried to create, it feels prefer it has all come collectively right here on a wonderful afternoon in Barbados.”

Dravid lauded his gamers and their combating spirit, which was on show throughout the closing. At one level, South Africa wanted simply 30 from as many balls with six wickets in hand, however India stored the utilized strain and squeezed a seven-run win.

“I am not often wanting phrases however I’ve felt actually wanting phrases over the previous couple of hours,” he mentioned. “I simply couldn’t be extra happy with this group. The way in which we have needed to battle in troublesome conditions and even at this time, I feel it was an amazing testomony to the battle within the group. Dropping three wickets within the first six [overs], to be within the form of place we had been in with 30 balls to go. However the boys simply stored combating, they stored believing, and I feel it is only a nice credit score to them.

Rahul Dravid will get a champion’s farewell•Getty Photos

“As a part of the teaching employees, I really feel actually grateful as a result of we’re attending to take pleasure in these moments due to what they’ve executed in a strain scenario. That is beautiful to be part of a dressing room like this and I feel it is a reminiscence of a lifetime for me. So I am actually grateful and grateful to the group and everybody within the assist employees who has made this potential.”

As a participant, Dravid by no means received a World Cup. Underneath his captaincy, India had been knocked out of the 2007 ODI World Cup within the first spherical. That event was additionally held within the West Indies however Dravid just isn’t seeing the newest victory as a redemption.

“There is no such thing as a redemption. I am not a kind of guys who take into consideration redemption and people form of issues. As a participant, I used to be not fortunate sufficient to win a trophy. However I attempted my greatest, I gave my greatest at any time when I performed and it wasn’t to be, and that occurs, it is a part of sport. There are numerous different gamers I do know who haven’t been in a position to win a trophy. I used to be fortunate to be given the chance to teach a group and I used to be fortunate that this bunch of boys made it potential for me to win this trophy.

“It is a good feeling, however it’s not like I am aiming for some redemption. It is only a job that I used to be doing. I’ve cherished doing this job. I’ve cherished working with Rohit [Sharma] and this group. It has been an amazing journey and I actually loved it.”Earlier this yr, Dravid had communicated to the BCCI his determination to not search one other tenure. Meaning he ends his teaching stint on a excessive however he’s not trying to create “any legacy”.

“I simply really feel glad that we gave it the most effective we may and it is not simply me,” he mentioned. “I feel I might like to actually acknowledge the assist employees that I’ve labored with. I feel I have been fortunate to have been working with exceptionally hard-working professionals, an clever bunch of coaches, and different assist employees who’ve made it potential for us to create a implausible setting, led by Rohit. I’m glad that confidently, it resulted on this trophy.”

When requested what he would miss probably the most about Rohit, Dravid replied, “I’ll miss him as an individual. Neglect the cricket and captaincy and the whole lot, however what actually has impressed me is the form of individual he’s, the form of respect he has proven in the direction of me, the form of care and dedication he has had for the group, the form of vitality he has needed to spend, and he is by no means backed down from it.

“So for me, it is the individual that I’ll keep in mind probably the most. He’ll be an amazing captain, he’ll be an amazing participant and he’ll rating runs and win trophies, however I feel it is who he’s as an individual that I will likely be most keen on.”

Going ahead, India will likely be with out Rohit and Virat Kohli as properly in T20Is as each gamers have introduced their retirements from the format. Based on BCCI president Roger Binny, it can take “two to a few years” for the group to fill that void.

“Loads of cricketers are coming by means of the IPL however it will take a while to bridge the hole,” Binny mentioned after the ultimate. “They’ve contributed a lot. It should take time. We are going to most likely see within the subsequent two-three years, the group coming again into its personal with out them.”

In the meantime, the BCCI has began its seek for the subsequent coach, with Gautam Gambhir on prime of its wishlist. However Binny didn’t reveal a lot about it.

“Nothing concrete has come but. Gautam Gambhir has numerous expertise. He has labored with groups. He performed Check matches, ODIs, T20s. Let’s examine.”