Bridgetown (Barbados): India’s head coach Rahul Dravid expressed immense relief upon securing the elusive T20 World Cup title in Barbados on Saturday, marking the end of his tenure. Dravid, who faced scrutiny after India’s losses in two consecutive ICC finals—the World Test Championship and the ODI World Cup against Australia last year—successfully ended India’s decade-long title drought with his final assignment. In a tense match, India secured their second T20 World Cup trophy with a thrilling seven-run victory over South Africa. Following the win, Virat Kohli and captain Rohit Sharma announced their retirement from T20Is.

Dravid commented on his relationship with Rohit, expressing that he will miss him more as a person than as the captain of the side.

“After the match, I will miss him as a person, forgetting about cricket, captaincy, and everything else,” Dravid remarked. “I hope we can remain friends. What has really impressed me throughout all of this is the type of person he is, the respect he has shown me, his dedication and care for the team, his energy, and his unwavering commitment.”

“So, for me, what I will cherish the most is the person he is… he will excel as a captain, he will excel as a player, he will win trophies, but it’s his character that I admire the most,” Dravid added.

The 51-year-old praised the resilience of his team and their ability to perform under pressure in key moments of the high-stakes match, establishing themselves as the new T20I champions.

“Over the past few hours, I’ve been at a loss for words. I couldn’t be prouder of this team and the way we battled through tough situations. Even today, it was a great testament… despite losing three wickets in the first six overs and finding ourselves in a challenging position, the boys kept fighting, they kept believing.”

“As a player, I wasn’t fortunate enough to win a trophy, but I always gave my best whenever I played. It’s just part of sports,” he remarked.

Winning the title with India was a memorable moment for Dravid, especially after experiencing a disappointing first-round exit in the 2007 ODI World Cup under his leadership in the West Indies.

However, the experienced coach dismissed any notion of seeking redemption and instead acknowledged feeling fortunate to achieve this success for the country.

“Firstly, there’s no sense of redemption for me. I’m not someone who dwells on redemption or similar concepts. Many players, including some I know, haven’t had the chance to lift a trophy. I consider myself fortunate to have been given the opportunity to coach, and I’m grateful that this group of players made it possible for me to achieve this victory and celebrate,” Dravid explained.

“It’s a nice feeling, but I wasn’t aiming for redemption. Coaching this team was simply a job that I loved doing. Working with Rohit and this team has been a great journey, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it.”

“It’s been phenomenal, truly wonderful to be part of such a dressing room. Being a part of this experience is a memory of a lifetime for me, and I’m thankful to the team and the support staff who made it possible. I’m not focused on creating a legacy; I’m just grateful that we could give our best.”

“I think I’ve been fortunate to work with an exceptionally professional and intelligent group of coaches and support staff who have created a fantastic environment. Winning this trophy has been a result of a bit of luck, and I couldn’t be happier for this team and for the Indian fans who have supported us throughout.”

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