Dravid's chance of Caribbean redemption in T20 World Cup 2024

When Rahul Dravid was announced as the coach of India there were quite a few challenges to look at. With the Test side, the Indian middle order was aging and a transition looked imminent. Virat Kohli stepped down as captain across formats slowly, and he was soon working with a new captain across formats.

Keeping it calm in the chaos

The scenario was very similar to how he started his captaincy career as well. Sourav Ganguly was left out after the Greg Chappell incident in 2005, and Rahul Dravid found himself leading a side with some experienced heads. He had the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Kumble, and Sourav Ganguly, all as experienced or more experienced than him. On the other side though he had a handful of youngsters in MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Virender Sehwag, and even Rohit Sharma who were blooming or getting ready to bloom.

Coming into coaching, Rahul Dravid had to deal with a new captain, a changing administration, and aging stars. The inception was tough with a series loss after a leading in South Africa. The fight seemed to be fading with Rahul Dravid’s approach seemingly different from that of the aggressive and outspoken Ravi Shastri.

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T20 World Cup, WTC, ODI World Cup: So close yet so far

It started to fall in place though. With the Youth side as well, Rahul Dravid was more of a long-term person, looking at the picture which has led to their consistency in the Under 19 Level.

For India, it started to hit slowly. They had their lows with the 2022 T20 World Cup being one of them. The tournament had India carried by Virat Kohli, with intent going out of the window as India went into a shell. They were humiliated in the Semi-Finals against England. A year later though, Rahul Dravid had it coming back. India, with him, made the WTC Finals, which again ended in a heartbreak. Making the finals though remains a pretty good achievement.

Months later, the Indian Team made another final, the Cricket World Cup. This one was all the more savoury with the team looking clinical up until their hurdle in the final. Rahul Dravid as a coach though was running well and the Indian Team looked very settled.

The settled nature worked as India came into the current T20 World Cup with a good chunk of the players coming off the 50-over World Cup final a few months ago.

‘Tis the World Cup of redemptions

He is now back in the Caribbean but in a different position. His tenure as a leader here in 2007 was probably the lowest point in Indian Cricket, with the team crashing out in the group stage. The last T20 World Cup semi-final stood as another low point, not only for him but also for the likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.

The trio were called out for playing it safe and not showing aggression. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in particular were called out for their risk-free approach. This time around though the trio seems to have thrown caution out the window. Rohit Sharma leading the way with Rahul Dravid backing him though has allowed India to embrace a new brand of Cricket. The outcomes are contrasting, with Virat Kohli yet to shine but the results are reaping its rewards. A game is all that stands now for Rahul Dravid as he looks to bury the ghosts of 2007 in 2024, as a coach of the Indian Cricket Team.