Watch: A hero’s welcome for Rahul Dravid at a cricket academy – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Having led a glittering career as a player, former batting great Rahul Dravid has received many standing ovations in his life.

But winning the T20 World Cup title as a coach was a new high for the former Indian captain.

The ODI World Cup trophy always eluded Dravid the cricketer. With 461 runs, he was the highest run-getter in the 1999 ODI World Cup. India reached the final in the 2003 ODI World Cup and were beaten by the mighty Aussies.

Dravid led India in the 2007 ODI World Cup edition, but suffered a major heartbreak and were knocked out after losing to Bangladesh.

But not winning a World Cup trophy did not diminish Dravid’s stature as one of the greatest batsmen to play the game.

With Dravid as coach, India demolished one and all in the 2023 ODI World Cup at home before falling at the final hurdle.

Dravid wasn’t keen to continue to as coach, but captain Rohit Sharma convinced him to stay on till the T20 World Cup.

Under Dravid the coach, India became the No. 1 team in both Tests and ODIs with the T20 World Cup title victory coming as the icing on the cake as it was his last assignment with Team India.

So receiving standing ovations as a World Cup winner must be new Dravid who is known for his down to earth and humble nature.

One such standing ovation was given to Dravid at a cricket academy in Bengaluru which is shown in a viral video.

The video shows Dravid entering the academy and greeted by the staff and all present. Sporting a simple t-shirt and shorts, Dravid is welcomed with a bouquet of flowers amidst loud claps and cheers.

As Dravid moves ahead, thanking the staff, he is welcomed by students at the academy who are lined up and raise their bats in honour of Dravid who moves ahead while shaking the hands of some of the kids and after a while even asks the students to lower the bats in his typical style that oozes nothing but simplicity.



Former India batsman Gautam Gambhir is widely reported to succeed Dravid as coach of the Indian team.