Rahul Dravid took on the role of India’s head coach in October 2021. During his tenure, the team achieved significant milestones, winning the Asia Cup 2024 and reaching the finals of both the World Test Championship and the ODI World Cup. Despite these successes, they fell short in the finals, losing to Australia on both occasions.

Nevertheless, Dravid’s coaching career concluded on a high note with the Indian team securing the T20 World Cup 2024 title in the Caribbean in June.

On August 21, Dravid shared that the approach to preparing for the ODI and T20 World Cups remained consistent. Speaking at a CEAT awards event, he explained that the coaching staff felt it was important to replicate the successful processes used during the 50-over World Cup.

“I didn’t want to change anything. We had a fantastic campaign in the one-day World Cup, and everyone involved contributed to that success,” Dravid said.

He added, “There was nothing more we could have done regarding preparation, planning, or execution. We performed well over ten games, and we just needed to maintain that level.”

Dravid noted that there was a consensus among the support staff to continue with the same approach. “We needed to recreate the same energy, vibe, and team atmosphere that we had and hope for a bit of luck,” he said.

Though he never played in a World Cup held in India, Dravid appreciated the experience of being a coach during such an event. “Traveling across the country and experiencing the fans’ passion was incredible. Even though I never played in a World Cup in India, witnessing the enthusiasm and excitement was phenomenal,” he remarked.

Reflecting on the 2023 World Cup, Dravid acknowledged that while India had a strong campaign, Australia performed better in the final. “We had a great campaign, but Australia outplayed us on the day of the final. Congratulations to them. That’s the nature of sport,” he concluded.

(With PTI Inputs)