It was in 2011 that Rahul Dravid, the legendary Indian cricketer and former captain of the team, drew the curtains on his glittering international career. But perhaps the biggest blot on one of the greatest caretakers of Indian cricket is that Dravid’s playing days ended without an ICC trophy, a gap in an otherwise remarkable career. His journey with Indian cricket, though, didn’t end there. He later became a coach and was appointed as the head of the Indian Under-19 team, making them champions in the 2018 U-19 World Cup.

This was indeed a massive win but not Dravid’s ultimate dream—the victory of the ICC title by the senior men’s team under his coaching. He came very close to achieving his dream in the 2023 World Cup but heartbreak awaited him in the final on November 19. But then, Rahul Dravid’s patience and hard work paid off in style when, on 29 June 2024, India finally won the T20 World Cup under his tutelage.

This win proved to be the fitting end to his coaching career, as his journey came to a satisfying full circle. It was not merely a moment of personal satisfaction for Dravid but a truly historic moment in Indian cricket. After this win, Dravid was seen in a jovial mood, as he rolled his arms over to the staff at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru.

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The video of the same has turned out to be an instant hit on social media, with fans in awe to see the Karnataka legend back on the cricket field, even though in a fun role. The T20 World Cup win itself wasn’t less dramatic. India did the impossible in Barbados, outplaying South Africa in a pulsating final to clinch the coveted ICC title.

Rahul Dravid playing cricket with the Ground Staffs of NCA. 🌟 pic.twitter.com/y2tXJKGNbW

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) August 11, 2024

And it was Virat Kohli again who invited Dravid to join in the trophy-lifting rituals. Known for his calm demeanor, Dravid surprised all by revealing uncharacteristic exuberance, hoisting the trophy with an aggressive cheer. Speaking about this quite rare form of his emotions, the 51-year-old coach said it was a spontaneous reaction.

“You don’t plan these things. Most of the time, I try to keep my emotions in check as a coach because you’re expected to do that. But at that moment, I felt really happy for the team. I felt happy for the boys. I felt happy for the support staff. So many people had worked really hard along with me,” Rahul Dravid said reflecting back on that moment.

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He further elaborated on the journey, acknowledging the near-misses and close successes that had marked his coaching tenure. “We were just not able to cross the line in those critical moments. In those situations, you need a little bit of luck, a little bit of destiny to work your way, and that day it was with us,” he added. The words of Dravid underlined the surmise that a mix of skill, hard work, and fate had finally brought India the T20 World Cup. This cemented his legacy as a great player but more importantly as a great coach who achieved what he had long aspired to.