New Delhi: Rahul Dravid, who recently retired as Team India’s head coach, talked about cricket paving its way to the Olympics and all set to make its debut in the 2028 edition of the Summer Games in Los Angeles. He called it ‘phenomenal’, opining that it is a sportsperson’s dream to be a part of the environment and the vibe that the Olympic Games create.
Dravid was in the French capital to attend a panel discussion at the recently inaugurated India House on Sunday. The discussion’s topic was ‘Cricket at the Olympics: Dawn of a New Era’, celebrating the sport’s inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Games. Dravid called it quits from the coaching tenure after India lifted their second T20 World Cup trophy that saw the USA as one of the hosts.
Reflecting on the sport making its way to the US soil and establishing a new centre through passion, Dravid said, “We know there is an incredible audience for cricket in the USA. We know that just from the number of people who travel from USA to other World Cup events. There is a huge passion for the game in the USA.”
“It always felt like cricket should be a part of this (Olympics). It is truly a great game. It is followed by so many people around the world. It is fantastic for someone like me who is now only a fan. It is truly phenomenal,” Dravid said.
Last year, at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) meeting in Mumbai, cricket was officially added as one of the five disciplines for the Los Angeles 2028 edition of the marquee event. The other four sports were baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse, and squash. Cricket at the Olympics will be played in the T20 format and will feature six teams (both men’s and women’s).
A trip down memory lane…
Recalling his earlier days, Dravid remembered “growing up with the Olympics.” He said that his early memories are of Carl Lewis winning at the Olympics and television coming to India. Taking a trip down the memory lane, Dravid recollected how the players then used to be glued to the television sets to watch the great athletes perform and play. He admitted that sportspersons wanted to be a part of a great event (Olympics).
“You have great events in cricket but they are individual events. To be in this kind of environment, energy and vibe is a dream come true for any sportsman,” Dravid added.
Rahul Dravid gave his take on the Olympics including cricket as an official sport in its next edition scheduled in Los Angeles. Cricket will make its Olympic debut alongside four other disciplines in LA 2028. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
