‘Pleased for Dravid’

Greg Chappell, who teamed up with outgoing coach when he was captain from 2005 to early 2007, delighted to see WC success coming The Wall’s way

The Caribbean may have seen two of the many finest innings played by Rahul Dravid—in the Kingston Test of the 2005-06 series. Eighty-one out of 200 in India’s first innings and 68 out of 171 in the second dig helped the visitors win by 49 runs for India’s first series win in the West Indies since 1971.

India’s then captain and now outgoing head coach, was adjudged man of the match and series. But that’s the last cricket-playing joy he extracted from his travels to the West Indies as captain. For, India were knocked out of the 2007 World Cup in the first round and captain Dravid along with coach Greg Chappell faced relentless heat over the exit.

Test victory in Jo’burg

Dravid and Chappell worked well together no matter how the pundits viewed the Chappell era. They were in charge when India won its first-ever Test match in South Africa—Johannesburg in 2006 only to end up on the losing side in the series by the end of the third Test at Cape Town. Earlier, they witnessed the Test victory in the Caribbean in 2005-06. In ODI cricket, the Dravid-Chappell combo worked for eight consecutive ODI victories in the same season.

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Then coach Greg Chappell and skipper Rahul Dravid on the eve of India’s ODI World Cup match against Bermuda at Queen’s Park Oval in March 2007. Pic/AFP

Chappell on Sunday was delighted over India’s T20 World Cup triumph and Dravid’s success in particular. “Congratulations to India on winning the T20 World Cup. I am particularly pleased for Rahul for being part of the victory,” Chappell told mid-day from Sydney.

A few years ago, Dravid found satisfaction in heading the National Cricket Academy before accepting an offer to coach the U-19 team World Cup which triumphed in New Zealand in 2018. His decision to work with the younger generation drew applause and even appeared in a Marathi film called Aamhi Doghi, where Ram played by Bhushan Pradhan, tells Savitri (Priya Bapat) in their first meeting that he idolises Dravid and points out how the former India captain is happy helping young cricketers emerge.

Back to real life. When Dravid took over as head coach in November 2021, some of his supporters wondered why he wanted to get his hands dirty. He just had to see what happened to his Karnataka teammate Anil Kumble, who exited when Virat Kohli was captain. An insider told me that it was Rohit Sharma who more than just urged Dravid to enter the fold. He obliged. The combo worked; came very close to winning the ODI World Cup last year and grabbed the T20 silverware on Saturday.

India’s interests in mind

Doubtless, Dravid had India’s interests in mind while accepting the job and it’s not that he was short of career options. Apart from coaching and mentoring, there was also television commentary and studio work on the buffet spread. “His passion for Indian cricket has always been plain to see, so for him to have been an integral part of the planning for this win must be particularly satisfying for him,” said Chappell.

Dravid and Chappell share an irony. Both have not been part of a World Cup-winning team as players. Chappell figured in the 1975 final which the West Indies won, wasn’t considered along with his World Series Cricket Australia teammates in 1979 and was not available for the 1983 edition. Dravid missed out on a place in the 1996 team and was a key member in the 1999, 2003 and 2007 squads.

“You know, as a player, I was not lucky enough to win a trophy, but I tried my best whenever I played and it happens, it’s part of sports,” Dravid told reporters in Barbados on Saturday. “It is a wonderful way for him to finish his time with the team,” remarked Chappell, who ended his Test career with a century against Pakistan in 1983-84. He also began his international career with a hundred on debut against England in 1970-71. Farewell Rahul Sharad Dravid, but drop in again to bring in your trademark dignity to a job.

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