India's T20 World Cup-winning captain Rohit Sharma on Tuesday took to Instagram to express his deep admiration and gratitude towards Rahul Dravid, following the latter's departure from the role of Team India's head coach.
India's T20 World Cup-winning captain Rohit Sharma on Tuesday took to Instagram to express his deep admiration and gratitude towards Rahul Dravid, following the latter's departure from the role of Team India's head coach. In an emotional post, Sharma reminisced about his childhood admiration for Dravid and the privilege of working closely with him. He credited Dravid's humility and love for the game, emphasizing how Dravid seamlessly transitioned from a cricketing legend to a mentor and coach whom players could confide in.
Rohit Sharma referred to Dravid affectionately as his "work wife," highlighting the camaraderie and trust they shared. He praised Dravid's coaching stint, noting that their collaboration had achieved a significant milestone—the T20 World Cup 2024 victory for India. Sharma expressed profound appreciation for Dravid's mentorship, friendship, and contributions to Indian cricket, sentiments shared widely by fans and colleagues alike.
"Dear Rahul bhai," Sharma began, "I have been trying to find the right words to properly express my feelings on this but I’m not sure I ever will so here’s my attempt."
"Since my childhood days I have looked up to you just like billions of others but I was lucky enough to get to work with you this closely. You are an absolute stalwart of this game but you left all of your accolades and achievements at the door and walked in as our coach and came on a level where we all felt comfortable enough to say just about anything to you. That is your gift, your humility and your love for this game even after all this time. I have learnt so much from you and every memory will be cherished. My wife refers to you as my work wife and I’m lucky to get to call you that too," wrote Rohit, who announced his retirement from T20Is along with Virat Kohli following India's win over South Africa in the T20 WC final in Barbados on June 29.
"This was the only thing missing from your arsenal and I’m so happy that we got to achieve it together. Rahul bhai it has been an absolute privilege to get to call you my confidant, my coach and my friend," the explosive batter concluded.
Meanwhile, with Gautam Gambhir set to join the Indian team's coaching staff, Dravid has reportedly been approached to fill the mentorship role at Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The franchise, known for its recent IPL 2024 triumph under Gambhir's guidance, has identified Dravid as a top candidate to succeed him. Dravid's vast experience in mentoring IPL teams, including his previous role with Delhi Daredevils and recent stint with India's junior teams, positions him favorably for the role.