New Delhi: India head coach Rahul Dravid ended his coaching stint on a high note as Indian team beat South Africa in the T20 World Cup 2024 final. the final clash ended up being a farewell game for many as the likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja also announced their retirement from the T20 format in international cricket. As the team players gathered in the dressing room after the final game, Dravid gave his farewell speech and a special message for captain Rohit Sharma.
In a video shared by the BCCI, Dravid said that he is short of words, which does not happens generally. In his farewell message for the team, the support staff and all those associated with the team, Dravid said that he couldn’t be more proud of the bunch.
“I’m really short of words but all I just want to say is thank you to everyone for making me a part of what is an incredible memory. I think all of you will remember these moments. Right, I think like we always say it’s not about the run, it’s not about the wickets you’ll never remember your career but you’ll remember moments like this. So let’s really enjoy it. I could not be more proud of you guys,” he said.
The kind of comeback Indian team made in the final game, when SA needed 30 runs to win in 30 deliveries will be remembered for ages. Dravid said that each and every player should be proud of what they managed to do in the game.
“To come back the way you did, the way you fought, the way we worked as a team, the resilience, there’s been some disappointments over the years where we’ve come close, we’ve never been able to cross the line. But what this bunch of boys has done, what all of you have done, what everyone in the support staff has done, the hard work that we’ve put in, the sacrifices that we’ve made, you know, I think the whole country is really, really proud of each and every one of you and what you have achieved. And all of you should be,” he said.
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The sacrifices, the commitment, the comeback
️ #TeamIndia Head Coach Rahul Dravid’s emotional dressing room speech in Barbados #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/vVUMfTZWbc
— BCCI (@BCCI) July 2, 2024
The Indian head coach also remembered all the sacrifices made by every player to achieve the final goal. “Right, I think there’s so many sacrifices that each and every one of you make to see your families here today enjoying it, so many of your families back home, just think about all the sacrifices each and every one of them has made since the time you were kids for you to be here in this dressing room today. Your parents, your boys, your children, your brothers, your coaches, so many people have made so many sacrifices and worked so hard with you for you to enjoy this memory in this moment. Right, really, really proud to have been a part of this memory with you guys.
“All I can say is thank you so much, man. I really am short of words and I’m not usually short of words, but on a day like today, I think, you know, for me to just be a part of this, I could not be more grateful and I could not be more thankful for the respect, for the kindness, for the effort that each and every one of you have shown to me, to my coaching staff, to my support staff. Thank you so much,” he asserted.
Dravid expressed thanksgiving towards Rohit Sharma for convincing him to stay as the head coach of the side till the T20 World Cup 2024.
“Just like to say, Ro, thank you very much for making that call to me in November and asking me to continue. I think it’s been such a privilege and a pleasure to work with each and every one of you and every one of you, but also to Ro, thanks for the time. I know as a captain and of course, there’s a lot of time we have to chat, we have to discuss, we have to agree, we have to disagree at times, but thank you so very much. I think, you know, it’s been brilliant to get to know each and every one of you as a person and yeah, I think it’s your moment, guys, it’s your moment. Remember it, it’s not about any individual, it’s about a team. We won this as a team, we did everything that we did for the last one month as a team, it’s about all of us, it’s not about an individual, it’s about all of us. Thank you very well done, could not be proud, let’s party, let’s really enjoy this.
“Behind that great team, there’s also successful organization and just like to acknowledge the work of the BCCI and the people behind the scenes for the work and stuff they’ve done for us. Each and every one of us comes through a system, each and every one of us comes through an organization that gives us the opportunities to grow and play, so thank you very much, well done,” he concluded.
After Rahul Dravid, Gautam Gambhir is very likely to take up the role of the head coach of the Indian team.
