PM Modi pays tribute to Rahul Dravid, ‘India is grateful…’

“Rahul Dravid’s incredible coaching journey has shaped the success of Indian cricket. His unwavering dedication, strategic insights and nurturing the right talent have transformed the team,” the Indian prime minister wrote on social media.

“India is grateful to him for his contributions and for inspiring generations. We are happy to see him lift the World Cup. Happy to have congratulated him.”

Rahul Dravid was unusually animated after India’s dramatic last-ball victory. The Wall is known for keeping his calm even under the most challenging situations. He was, however, seen taking an active part in high-spirited celebrations by the Indian cricket team, with and without the trophy.

‘Do it for Dravid’

Just before the final, a social media campaign started on ‘Do it for Dravid’. Ahead of the legendary former cricketer’s last match as India’s Head Coach, fans wanted to give him a farewell suitable for his stature and contribution.

Dravid, however, did not endorse the campaign and dismissed it in his typical unflappable style.

“I don’t really believe in this ‘Do it for somebody’. I love that quote about somebody asking somebody else, ‘Why do you want to climb Mount Everest?’ and he says, ‘I want to climb Mount Everest because it’s there’. I want to win this World Cup because it’s there. It’s not for anyone, it’s not for anybody, it’s just there to win,” Dravid said.

But, his fans insisted that Dravid’s dismissal of the campaign was the exact reason why Jammy deserved the cup. After all, the ‘Indiranagar ka gunda’ is known for being selfless for his team. Throughout his career, Dravid has kept it cool no matter how high the stakes are.

Milestone Alert!
Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world 🌏 Click here to know more.

3.6 Crore Indians visited in a single day choosing us as India’s undisputed platform for General Election Results. Explore the latest updates here!

Published: 30 Jun 2024, 02:00 PM IST