In addition to unearthing some gems in Indian cricket, Rahul Dravid has paid tribute to The Wall for being there for him every step of the way.
Rahul Dravid is arguably the most respected individual in Indian cricket. Even after retiring from the game, Dravid continued to win hearts as a team player ready to play whatever role his team or captain asked. In addition to being known as The Wall, Dravid took up coaching and enjoyed unprecedented success with the India A and Under-19 teams.
In 2018, Dravid became the NCA chief and oversaw the day-to-day operations after leading India to a World Cup title. Despite India’s South Africa blip, Dravid has done well in his short tenure as head coach, succeeding Ravi Shastri last year. He played a significant role in the IPL as a mentor, but his role was the least talked about. Following his retirement from cricket, Dravid took over as the side’s mentor and unearthed several gems, including leg-spinner Pravin Tambe, who made his IPL debut at the age of 41. ”My journey has been greatly influenced by Rahul Dravid. He has made me who I am today. He never asked me my age during those two to three days of the trials. Instead, he evaluated my performance. That is something great about him,” Tambe said in a recent press conference.
Despite Tambe’s habit of picking Dravid’s brain all the time, the leg-spinner admits that their conversations have become far less frequent over time. ”I never bother him anymore since he is so busy. His responsibilities are immense. During festivals like Diwali, I send him WhatsApp messages expressing my gratitude for his help,” he added.
