Former India head coach Rahul Dravid has offered a balanced perspective on the ongoing debate surrounding “superstar culture” in Indian cricket, subtly disagreeing with current India coach Gautam Gambhir’s push to move away from individual-centric recognition in the sport. Gambhir has repeatedly stressed that Indian cricket should prioritise collective success over the celebration of star players.

However, Dravid believes individual greatness and team success often go hand in hand, especially in a cricket-obsessed nation like India where iconic performances inspire millions. Speaking on the Wisden Scoop podcast, Dravid explained that sporting heroes are created through consistent performances and contributions to winning teams, not through hype alone.

“Any sport needs its heroes, and I don’t think people become heroes without performances. You can’t capture the imagination of a nation if you don’t deliver on the field,” Rahul Dravid said.

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The former India captain, who shared a dressing room with legends such as Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman and Virender Sehwag, pointed out that India’s rise as a global cricket powerhouse was built around players who consistently delivered under pressure. “There’s a lot of scrutiny and constant focus on you. So to become a legend or a superstar in India means you’ve done a lot of things right, and in the process, you’ve also helped your team win,” he added.

Dravid also reflected on India’s recent struggles in Test cricket under Gambhir’s tenure. India endured disappointing home series defeats against New Zealand and South Africa, raising concerns about the team’s transition phase in red-ball cricket.

The former coach acknowledged that replacing senior figures like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin will naturally take time, given their immense impact on Indian cricket over the years. “The passion to do well in red-ball cricket is definitely there. We’ve had a couple of series where we haven’t performed as well as an Indian team, and that can happen,” Rahul Dravid said.

Despite the recent setbacks, Dravid remains optimistic about India’s future across formats. He believes the talent pool remains strong enough for the team to bounce back quickly, even during a challenging transition period.

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Dravid also admitted that the growing volume of white-ball cricket globally has made it increasingly difficult for players to switch seamlessly between formats, particularly when balancing different technical and mental demands.