New Delhi: Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir was left emotional after receiving an inspiring message from Rahul Dravid ahead of his first game in charge of the team. Gambhir’s stint will kick off when India lock horns with Sri Lanka in the 1st T20I of the upcoming three-match series at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Pallekele on Saturday, July 27.
In a video shared by BCCI, Gambhir was left short on words to describe his emotions after hearing the voice message he received from Dravid. Dravid’s stint with the Indian team ended last month with the Men in Blue clinching the T20 World Cup 2024 title. Rohit Sharma & Co. defeated South Africa in the final in Barbados to end India’s 11-year-long ICC trophy drought with their second T20 World Cup crown.
Gambhir took over the reins after Dravid stepped down from the position and will be hoping to take Indian cricket to greater heights under his leadership. Passing over the baton with class and grace, Dravid sent his good wishes to Gambhir while wishing him luck in his new role. Dravid also wished Gambhir would have fully fit players available throughout his rein and enjoy the support of the players and the support staff.
“Hello Gautam and welcome to the most exciting job in our world as coach of the Indian cricket team. It’s been three weeks since I ended my stint with the Indian team in a manner that was beyond my dreams, both in Barbados and then a few days later, in that unforgettable evening in Mumbai. More than anything else, I will treasure the memories and friendships I made in my time with the squad. As you take over the role of India coach, it is what I wish for you as well. I also hope that you will have the availability of fully fit players in every squad. Good luck with that. I also wish you that little bit of luck, as you know that all of us coaches need to make us look that little bit wiser and smarter than we actually are,” Dravid said in the video shared by the BCCI.
𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀 & 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲! 📝
To,
Gautam Gambhir ✉
From,
Rahul Dravid 🔊#TeamIndia | #SLvIND | @GautamGambhir pic.twitter.com/k33X5GKHm0
— BCCI (@BCCI) July 27, 2024
Dravid spoke about the memories he made and the friendships he developed during his time with the Indian team and wished the same for Gambhir. The former India head coach also went on praise his ex-India teammate, highlighting his passion for Indian cricket. Gambhir helped Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) lift the IPL 2024 title as a mentor earlier this year before replacing Dravid as the head coach of the Indian team.
“As your teammate, I saw you giving it your all on the field. As your batting partner and fellow finder, I saw your resilience and your refusal to surrender across many IPL seasons. I noted your desire to win your assistance to work with younger players and your drive to extract the best out of your team on the field. I know how dedicated and passionate you are about Indian cricket, and I’m sure you will bring all these qualities into this new job. As you know, the expectations will be high, and the scrutiny will be intense. But even in the worst of times, you will never be alone. You will have the support of the players, your support staff, the leaders of the past, the management,” Dravid added.
Gautam Gambhir gets emotional
Gambhir, who rarely gets emotional, admitted getting a message from someone he looked up to during his time as a player, left him emotional. Calling Dravid one of the most selfless players he has played with, Gambhir hailed the India legend and said his message meant a lot to him. The ex-KKR mentor also admitted he has big shoes to fill in as he hopes to make the entire nation proud.
“Look, I don’t know how to react because this message means so much to me and the reason is not because it comes from the person who I have succeeded now or taking over from, but from a person who I’ve always looked up to when I was playing. I’ve always felt that, I think, and I said it in a lot of my interviews. I think the most selfless cricketer I’ve actually ever played, Rahul Bhai, has done anything and everything that Indian cricket needed,” Gambhir said.
“So I think there is so much to learn from, not only for me but for the next generation and for the current generation as well, how important Indian cricket is, not me, not individuals, but what Indian cricket is, and I feel I think I don’t get too emotional normally. But I think this message actually made me a lot emotional, which normally I assume, but it’s a great message. Hopefully, I can. It’s massive shoes to fill. Hopefully, I can do it with aptitude, honesty, and transparency and, hopefully, I can make the entire nation proud. Most importantly,” he added.
Gambhir will hope to kickoff his stint as the India head coach with a win in the T20I series against Sri Lanka. Suryakumar Yadav will be leading the Men in Blue in T20Is with Shubman Gill serving as his deputy. Suryakumar was appointed as captain after pipping Hardik Pandya in the race for captaincy. Meanwhile, Gill will serve as the vice-captain in both ODIs and T20Is.
Gautam Gambhir was left emotional as he received a special message from Rahul Dravid ahead of his first game as the head coach of the Indian cricket team. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
