Indian captain Rohit Sharma expressed his desire to win the 50-over Cricket World Cup in 2023 as a tribute to head coach Rahul Dravid. Dravid has been a pillar of support for the players, especially after the T20 World Cup semifinal defeat against England last year. Sharma believes that winning the World Cup would be the perfect farewell gift for Dravid, who never won a major trophy as a player.
Reflecting on Dravid’s contributions, Sharma stated, “The way he stood by the players in difficult times during the T20 World Cup, we had a good run until that semifinal and we lost. How he reacted to certain situations and communicated with the players speaks volumes about him.” Sharma emphasized the massive impact Dravid has had on Indian cricket and expressed that he wants to win the World Cup for him.
Despite their contrasting cricketing philosophies, Sharma acknowledged that Dravid embraced his ideas and strategies. This allowed Sharma the freedom to play his natural game. “His role has been absolutely massive in terms of getting that clarity, which I keep talking about. It’s one thing for me to think about it, but it’s another thing for the coach to agree,” Sharma said.
Sharma further highlighted the contrast between his own playing style and Dravid’s, stating, “Looking at how Rahul bhai himself has played his cricket and how I am playing these days, obviously it’s quite contrasting. For him to agree and give me the freedom to play the way we want to play, that says a lot about him.”
The Cricket World Cup final against Australia on Sunday could potentially be Dravid’s last day as head coach. Sharma and the Indian team are determined to secure victory and honor Dravid’s significant contributions to Indian cricket.
