‘I am particularly...’: Greg Chappell ‘pleased’ for Rahul Dravid after India’s T20 World Cup triumph

Team India gave a fitting farewell to outgoing head coach Rahul Dravid by winning the 2024 T20 World Cupin the contest at the Kensington Oval, Barbados on Saturday (June 29). Rohit Sharma-led India opted to bat first versus South Africa and rode on Virat Kohli's 76 to post 176-7 before restricting the Proteas for 169-8 to win by 7 runs courtesy of Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh and Hardik Pandya's heroics. After the game, the Indian players passed onthe T20 WC trophy to Dravid, who broke into celebrations. Dravid, the former Indian captain, had a stellar run in international cricket from 1996-2012, but never won any major tournament. Nonetheless, his dream was fulfilled, albeit as a coach, courtesy of India's triumph in the just-concluded mega event, held in West Indies and the USA.

After India's sensational win, their former coach Greg Chappell also reacted to the Rohit & Co.'s achievement. He congratulated India and reacted on Dravid winning the title as coach. Dravid-Chappell were the captain-coach duo for India during their infamous 2007 ODI World Cup debacle, in West Indies.

Thus, Chappell said, "Congratulations to India on winning the T20 World Cup. I am particularly pleased for Rahul for being part of the victory. His passion for Indian cricket has always been plain to see, so for him to have been an integral part of the planning for this win must be particularly satisfying for him."

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Chappell added, "It is a wonderful way for him to finish his time with the team."

Dravid, thus, got his redemption in the Caribbean island -- where India succumbed to a first-round exit in the ODI WC during his captaincy tenure in early 2007. After India's T20 WC triumph, he told the reporters, "I really have felt short of words over the last few hours. I just could not be more proud of this team, the way we had to fight difficult situations."

He further opined, "Even today I think it was a great testimony... for the team to lose three wickets in the first six overs, to be in the kind of position we were in, but the boys just kept fighting, they kept believing."

“You know, as a player, I was not lucky enough to win a trophy, but I tried my best whenever I played and it happens, it’s part of sports,” the 51-year-old added.

With the T20 WC triumph, Dravid's coaching tenure also ended. Under him, India also won the 2023 Asia Cup (ODIs), reached the 2022 T20 WC semifinals, WTC final as well as last year's ODI WC at home.