Rahul Dravid expresses gratitude to Rohit Sharma as his tenure ends

In a heartfelt gesture, outgoing head coach of the Indian men's cricket team, Rahul Dravid, has expressed his gratitude towards skipper Rohit Sharma for his support during a challenging period. 

After India’s defeat in the ODI World Cup 2023 final against Australia, Dravid’s future with the team was uncertain. However, a call from Sharma encouraged him to stay on until the end of the T20 World Cup 2024.

Dravid’s contract had expired in November 2023, but thanks to Sharma’s insistence, he continued in his role until the team’s T20 World Cup campaign. After India’s triumph in the T20 World Cup on Saturday, Dravid delivered an emotional farewell speech in the dressing room, highlighting his appreciation for Sharma’s call.

"I 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 know Ro. Thanks for the time," Dravid said.

"I know as a captain and a coach, there's a lot of times we have to chat. We have to discuss. We have to agree. We have to disagree at times, but thank you so very much. It's been brilliant to get to know each and every one of you as a person," he further added.

With Dravid’s departure, the Indian cricket team will soon announce a new head coach before their upcoming tour of Sri Lanka, where they are set to play three T20Is and three ODIs.

In the meantime, VVS Laxman has been appointed as head coach for the T20I tour of Zimbabwe. The Indian squad for the five-match series, led by Shubman Gill, consists mostly of young players with limited international experience. The series is scheduled to start on July 6 and will conclude on July 14, with all matches to be held at the Harare Sports Club.