'Wanted To Step Down After 2023 World Cup..': Rohit Reveals Talk With Dravid
Rohit Sharma revealed that he persuaded Rahul Dravid to stay on as coach after India's 2023 World Cup defeat.
India ODI captain Rohit Sharma revealed in a recent interview that he told then-head coach Rahul Dravid after losing to Australia in the final of the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup in Ahmedabad. Despite remaining unbeaten throughout the tournament, India failed to secure the title against the Pat Cummins-led team at Narendra Modi Stadium.
Following India's defeat, Dravid expressed his desire to step down from his coaching role. However, Rohit Sharma, the then skipper, persuaded Dravid to stay on until the T20 World Cup 2024.
On the anniversary of India's T20 World Cup victory, Rohit recalled his discussion with Dravid. He said, 'Rahul bhai wanted to step down after the 2023 World Cup. But we said, 'There's another World Cup in six months. We've come this far. Let's give it one more shot.' He agreed-and I'm so glad he did. I'm sure even now he feels that he made the right decision," Rohit was quoted as saying in an interview with JioHotstar.
Dravid's last assignment as India's head coach ended up being the final of the T20 World Cup 2024 against South Africa, where India defeated the Proteas by seven runs to win the title.
What Rohit Said About T20 World Cup?
Rohit also expressed his pride in finally lifting an ICC title as captain in Barbados, calling it the proudest moment of his career.
'For me personally, it was also emotional. My identity as a cricketer began with this format in the 2007 T20 World Cup. To come full circle and lift the trophy again in 2024-it was just fantastic," Rohit said.
'Barbados will forever be in my veins. This is the proudest moment of my cricketing career. To lift that trophy, to be crowned ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 Champions-it was surreal. I played in the inaugural 2007 T20 World Cup and we won under MS Dhoni 's captaincy. And now, to win it again with Rahul Dravid as head coach-it meant everything to this group. We've seen heartbreak. We've come so close. That's why this one was so special. We worked and planned relentlessly every day. And when we finally won, all the emotions came pouring out. The younger players, especially those playing their first World Cup, realised how hard it is to win one. Nothing can be taken for granted. It was magical."
After India's T20 World Cup win, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli announced their retirement from the shortest format of the game, and the BCCI appointed Suryakumar Yadav as Rohit's successor to lead India in T20Is. Following Rahul Dravid, the BCCI appointed Gautam Gambhir as the new head coach of Team India.
First Published:
June 29, 2025, 19:08 IST
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